WSLS reports:

That friends and family lined the parking lot of Back Creek Elementary School Wednesday night to welcome home Patrice Dalton. She was just released from the hospital after receiving a liver transplant.

“I’m overwhelmed. I just can’t believe all those people, that many people were here,” said Dalton. “It brought me to tears. I had no idea.”

Dalton says she was diagnosed with hepatitis A back in September after she and her family visited Famous Anthony’s. The Virginia Department of Health has linked dozens of hepatitis A cases to the locally owned restaurant chain.

“We weren’t sure if she was going to be here much longer with us,” said Dalton’s daughter, Dara Hawkins.

After months of tests, dialysis and a liver transplant, Dalton is finally home.

“Just thankful to be home and then to see all those people is awesome. I’d like to hug them all but I can’t do that right now,” she said.

The road to recovery is far from over. Dalton must take immunosuppressive medication which makes day-to-day tasks riskier with her now compromised immune system.

But Dalton says she’s just lucky to be alive, unlike some of the other victims from the outbreak.

“I am so blessed, so blessed. God had everything laid out. My daughter, Ashley, says she gives God all the credit because everything fell right into place,” said Dalton.

We just received the Virginia State Department of Health’s National Outbreak Reporting System Report (NORS Report).  It confirmed much of what we already know and what has been reported.  Here is the full NORS REPORT.  Here are some of the highlights:

Outbreak: GII161RkeCoHepA0921 Case Definition:

Person with (a) discrete onset of symptoms and (b) jaundice or elevated serum aminotransferase levels and (c) tested positive for Hepatitis A (IgM anti-HAV-positive), and frequented any of the following Famous Anthony’s locations: 6499 Williamson Road, Roanoke, VA 24019, 4913 Grandin Road, Roanoke, VA 24018, or 2221 Crystal Springs Avenue, Roanoke, VA 24014, or was a close contact to the index case- patient (Famous Anthony’s food handler), during the dates of August 10 through August 27, 2021. Symptom onset date 8/25/2021, and infectious period 8/11-9/1 for Famous Anthony’s food handler.

  • Based on the epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback and/or environmental investigations they suspect transmission was foodborne, but food vehicle is undetermined
  • Total cases: 51 (49 primary cases)
    • 40 lab confirmed primary cases
    • 9 probably primary cases
    • 2 secondary cases from household contact
  • Gender – 28 Male (57%), 21 Female (43%)
  • Outcomes
    • 3/49 primary cases died
    • 31/49 primary cases hospitalized
    • 45/49 primary cases went to the ER
    • 4/49 primary cases saw a healthcare provider (not including ER)
  • Age demographics:
    • 20-49: 8 (16.3%)
    • 50-74: 29 (59.2%)
    • >= 75: 12 (24.5%)
  • Sampling
    • 8 specimens sampled for hepatovirus with PCR or RT-PCR
    • 7/8 came back positive for hepatovirus serotype A/IB

Hepatitis A:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Hepatitis A outbreaks. The Hepatitis A lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Hepatitis A and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $800 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Hepatitis A lawyers have litigated Hepatitis A cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of sources, such as green onions, lettuce and restaurant food.  The law firm has brought Hepatitis A lawsuits against such companies as Costco, Subway, McDonald’s, Red Robin, Chipotle, Quiznos and Carl’s Jr.  We proudly represented the family of Donald Rockwell, who died after consuming Hepatitis A tainted food and Richard Miller, who required a liver transplant after eating food at a Chi-Chi’s restaurant.

If you or a family member became ill with a Hepatitis A infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Hepatitis A attorneys for a free case evaluation.

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