What to Know
- Patrons who dined in part of The Factoria complex in Peekskill, New York, earlier this month may have been exposed to hepatitis A, officials said
- The Westchester County Health Department learned that an employee with Hepatitis A worked at a private event at the event space at Factoria while infectious
- Factoria includes seafood restaurant Fin & Brew and the Space, a wedding and private events hall. Diners at those facilities may have been exposed to the virus, according to health officials
Patrons who dined in part of The Factoria complex in Peekskill, New York, earlier this month may have been exposed to hepatitis A, officials said
The Westchester County Health Department learned that an employee with Hepatitis A worked at a private event at the event space at The Factoria -- located at Charles Point -- while infectious. Anyone who was there on Saturday, Feb. 15 may have been exposed.
The Factoria includes seafood restaurant Fin & Brew and the Space, a wedding and private events hall. Diners at those facilities may have been exposed to the virus, according to health officials.
As a precaution because Fin & Brew shares an ice machine with the event space, patrons who ate at the restaurant on Feb.16 or Feb. 19 could have also been exposed, according to officials.
The Health Department has been contacting patrons to alert them to their potential exposure.
Patrons at the other restaurants in the complex are not at risk because they have separate facilities, according to officials.
News
The Westchester County Department of Health is offering free preventive treatment starting Tuesday to anyone who ate or drank at The Space at Factoria or at Fin & Brew during the exposure period.
Preventive treatment is only effective if given within two weeks of the last day of exposure, so those who dined on Feb. 15 must receive preventive treatment by Feb. 29. Meanwhile, those who dined on Feb.16 must receive treatment by March 1 and those who dined there on Feb. 19 must receive treatment by March 4.
The health department will offer preventive treatment at the Health Department Clinic, 134 Court Street, White Plains, on the following dates and times. Although walk-ins are welcome, advance registration is highly recommended:
- Tuesday, February 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 26, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, February 27, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- For other times by appointment during clinic hours, call 914-995-7499
Officials said that Factoria is cooperating with the Health Department and conducted a thorough cleaning on Thursday. Staff were vaccinated today and the restaurant will be re-inspected later today by the Westchester County Department of Health before reopening for dinner.
John VanDekker, spokesperson for Factoria, tells News 4 that they've "been working very closely with the Westchester County Health Department" in an effort to identify and inform the guests that they may have been exposed.
Calling the incident an "unfortunate event," VanDekker also said that they've "exhaustively cleaned" the restaurant which was subsequently inspected by health department and given the all clear. Factoria is scheduled to reopen Friday, VanDekker said.
Hepatitis A is generally a mild illness whose symptoms include fatigue, fever, poor appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dark urine, light colored stool and jaundice, which is the yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. However, not everyone infected with Hepatitis A will have all of its symptoms.
Symptoms commonly appear within 28 days of exposure, with a range of 15 to 50 days. Preventive treatment is only effective within two weeks of exposure to the virus, but symptoms typically do not appear until a person has had the virus for a few weeks. The illness is rarely fatal and most people recover in a few weeks without any complications.
