At least ten people have reported to Albert Heijn because they became ill after eating blueberries. A spokesperson for the supermarket chain reported this to the ANP news agency. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) warned on Tuesday that bags of frozen blueberries may contain hepatitis A.
Albert Heijn has received questions about blueberries from a total of approximately two thousand customers, including about getting a refund. The supermarket chain cannot say whether any claims for damages have been filed. A spokesperson tells ANP that each case is assessed separately.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) estimated that the number of infections could rise into the hundreds. On Tuesday, twelve people were known to be infected with the virus, two of whom had to go to hospital. They became ill in the months of November and December.
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How did Albert Heijn’s frozen blueberries become contaminated with hepatitis A? And why is it only known after months?
The average incubation period of the virus is one month, which means that more cases of illness are likely to occur in the coming weeks. It is called the risk of symptoms in the event of an infection RIVM incidentally, “quite small”, noting that in some cases the symptoms are so mild that an infection is not noticed.
The symptoms include fatigue, mild fever, sometimes with upper abdominal pain and nausea. In adults, hepatitis A infection can also lead to jaundice. In very exceptional cases it can be life-threatening. The infection will disappear on its own over time, but fatigue symptoms may last longer.
When asked, the RIVM says that no cases of illness have yet come to light. “But that will undoubtedly come.”