Gloucester County reports worker tests for Hepatitis A at Deptford Olive Garden

DEPTFORD — A food handler at a popular chain restaurant here tested positive twice for a virus that can cause mild to severe stomach issues.

A statement Thursday from the Gloucester County Department of Health said an Olive Garden worker tested positive for hepatitis A twice in late December.

The Olive Garden, at 1500 Almonessen Road, remains open. A manager on Thursday referred questions to the corporate headquarters.

Brittany Baron, Olive Garden corporate spokeswoman, said the employee had last worked 10 days before their diagnosis. "And they are not going to be permitted to return to work until being released by a doctor," she said.

"And in addition to us working with the health department, the reason we’re open is because we do have an abundance of processes already in place to maintain the cleanest and safest restaurants in the industry," Baron said. "And in fact, many health departments that we work with across the country actually point to our standards as a model for other companies to follow."

Gloucester County was notified of the individual by that person's home county. Hepatitis A is a communicable disease which is immediately reportable in the state of NJ, according to the county.

Hepatitis A is most often spread through food contaminated by someone with the virus.

Food handlers are tested for various diseases like hepatitis A because of the potential to spread the disease when serving food to customers.

Symptoms appear two to seven weeks after exposure and include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, poor appetite, jaundice, and dark urine. Anyone who is vaccinated against it is not at risk and risk is low for the unvaccinated, according to the county.

“To ensure the safety of all patrons, the Gloucester County Department of Health is working directly with the establishment to provide vaccination to potentially exposed unvaccinated coworkers,” the county said.

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The health department advises that vaccination within two weeks of exposure can prevent or lower the severity of symptoms. A vaccine may be obtained from a healthcare provider or from a pharmacy with a prescription. Individuals should schedule an appointment with their healthcare provider or pharmacy, the county advises.

The food handler tests were done on Dec. 26, 2023 and Dec. 30, 2023.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control advises that seeking treatment after exposure to someone with the virus is “typically not indicated” because transmission from a food handler to a patron is unlikely.

However, the CDC states, post-exposure treatment may be a good idea if the food handler directly handled uncooked or cooked foods without gloves and also had diarrhea or poor hygienic practices. The risk still is low, the CDC states.

The health department had conducted a full inspection of the restaurant on March 17, 2023, with a satisfactory rating. It was inspected again on January 10, 2024, and again issued a satisfactory rating.

The department states it is working with Olive Garden to maintain proper protocols.

Residents with questions or concerns may call (856)218-4151. They also can visit the department website at www.gloucestercountynj.gov.

Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.

Have a tip? Reach out at jsmith@thedailyjournal.com. Support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Olive Garden worker has Hepatitis A, county vaccinating staff