The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reports that there’s a suspected outbreak of foodborne illness that’s being investigated in Homer. If anyone is experiencing foodborne illness symptoms (i.e. gastrointestinal illness) and has been in the Homer area in the past week, they are encouraged to fill out a foodborne illness survey.
The DHSS reports that more than 70 employees working at South Peninsula Hospital have been identified with gastrointestinal illness to date; all ill persons reportedly consumed food that had been brought into the hospital for employee meals from several local food establishments. No patients or hospital residents consumed the food. At this time, the source of the outbreak is unknown. The outbreak is being investigated by the DHSS’s Section of Epidemiology in coordination with the Alaska Department of Conservation Food Safety and Sanitation Program.
Contact your health care provider if you have questions or concerns. Foodborne illness symptoms involved in this outbreak so far have primarily been diarrhea and stomach cramps, which have resolved quickly. Fever is not one of the main symptoms reported. Most people experiencing symptoms reported that they began to feel ill on Thursday, July 5th through the following morning.
As part of the investigation, the Alaska Department of Conservation’s (DEC) Food Safety and Sanitation program assessed sanitation and food handling practices at the business that was linked to the outbreak. It appears that the source of illness was a single food item that was prepared for hospital staff. The implicated food item was not sold to the general public. DEC has closed its portion of the investigation and has determined that there is no ongoing risk to the public.