SA schools, childcare centres hit by berry hepatitis A scare

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South Australian schools and childcare centres may have served frozen berries contaminated with hepatitis A to children, the Education Department says.

The department said principals and directors at nine potentially affected sites were notifying parents.

One childcare centre, understood to be the McKay Children’s Centre at Penola in the state’s south-east, feared smoothies reportedly made with a frozen mixed berry pack were served to children as part of their afternoon snack.

Letters have been sent to parents of the children notifying them of the possible risk.

The centre’s director declined to comment on the situation.

The department said the advice followed from Patties Foods Limited recalling Nanna’s Mixed Berries and Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries (frozen) from Coles, Woolworths, IGA and other independent supermarkets nationally due to a potential hepatitis A contamination.

Chief education officer Jayne Johnston said parents would be understandably concerned to get the letter.

“But I would like to emphasise that SA Health advises that the risk is considered to be quite low and the product recall was being undertaken as a precaution,” she said.

She did not name the nine centres involved because some parents may not yet have got their letter, but gave a broad outline.

They are four primary schools, one secondary school, three children’s centres and an out-of-hours school care facility.

The department said childcare staff had done a risk assessment aimed at preventing any further risk and would increase hygiene practices over the next two months during the incubation period for possible illnesses.

Symptoms of hepatitis A can include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, yellow skin and eyes, dark urine and pale faeces, tiredness and a mild headache.

Hepatitis can also be a mild infection, particularly in children, and symptoms may not be identified as resulting from the virus, which creates an inflammation of the liver.

In mild cases, symptoms may be similar to a stomach virus, including vomiting and diarrhea.