MILWAUKEE — An employee at Milwaukee’s East Side Beans & Barley restaurant has tested positive for Hepatitis A, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) shared Monday.

Health officials said that after developing symptoms, the individual “took necessary precautions” and is now “fully cooperating” with the department to reduce the risk of more transmission.

What You Need To Know

  • An employee at Milwaukee’s East Side Beans & Barley restaurant has tested positive for Hepatitis A

  • Hepatitis A, a contagious liver infection, can be spread through contaminated food and water

  • The infected employee was working at Beans & Barley while infectious, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2024

  • MHD said that it will offer vaccination on Monday for Hepatitis A for those who were potentially exposed “out of an abundance of caution”

Hepatitis A, a contagious liver infection, can be spread through contaminated food and water.

The infected employee was working at Beans & Barley while infectious, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2024.

MHD said it is working with the restaurant to find and notify those who may have been exposed in that period. Meanwhile, the restaurant remains open, as officials said there is no known “ongoing risk” for those who are consuming food there outside the established timeframe.

MHD said that it will offer vaccination on Monday for Hepatitis A for those who were potentially exposed “out of an abundance of caution.”

It recommends that employees and anyone who ate food from the restaurant during that time period who have not yet received the vaccine to get vaccinated.

 Here are the details:

  • When: Monday, Nov. 18, 2024
  • Where: Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd., Milwaukee
  • Time: 1 p.m.

MHD said you can also get the two-dose vaccine at a local pharmacy, your primary care provider or at any of the city’s walk-in immunization clinics.

The vaccine can help prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to the infection. You can check if you’re already vaccinated for the infection, here.

“Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease, and vaccination is the best protection against it,” said Milwaukee Commissioner of Health, Mike Totoraitis, in a press release. “While the risk with this situation is low, we are still taking this situation seriously and acting swiftly to prevent further spread. Beans & Barley has been fully cooperative throughout this process, and we are working together to protect the health of the community.”

Symptoms for Hepatitis A often develop about two to seven weeks after exposure and include: fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine or pale stool, joint pain and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Recovery usually happens within two months. However, severe cases can cause a prolonged illness or complications.

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