Greenwood Walmart has confirmed case of Hepatitis A

A Walmart in Greenwood has a confirmed case of an employee having Hepatitis A.

The Johnson County Health Department became aware of the case at the Walmart, 1130 Emerson Ave., late last week.

There is no current danger to the public, but the health department is encouraging employees who work at that location to get vaccinated against the disease, said Betsy Swearingen, Johnson County Health Department director.

An employee was found to have a confirmed case of the disease, but stayed home when they had symptoms which reduced the threat to the public, Swearingen said. 

"They were very thoughtful in that regard," she said.

Hepatitis A is inflammation of the liver caused by the Hepatitis A virus, which is found in the stool of an infected person, according to a fact sheet from the Indiana State Department of Health.

The virus is passed in the stool and people become infected by having contact with the stool of an infected person. Casual contact, as in the usual workplace or school setting, does not spread the virus, according to the fact sheet.

Symptoms of exposure include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, stomach pain, fever, dark urine, pale, clay colored stool, joint pain, loss of appetite and yellowing of skin and eyes. Symptoms can appears two to six weeks after infection, the fact sheet said.

The Johnson County Department of Health conducted an environmental assessment using a form provided by the Indiana Department of Health. The form covers the affected employee’s work schedule and the store’s protocols regarding the issue. The assessment led the county’s health department to conclude that the public was not in danger. 

While the public is not in danger due to this specific case, there is an outbreak of Hepatitis A across the state and country and all residents should consider getting vaccinated, Swearingen said.