One probable case of hepatitis A was recently identified in Manitoba due to exposure to frozen mangoes, the province says in a release.
An outbreak of the virus has been reported in Canada with three confirmed cases to date: two in Quebec and one in Nova Scotia. The affected individuals became sick between late March to mid-July, 2021.
The Public Health Agency of Canada issued a recall for the frozen mango products on July 31.
Refer to the below chart provided by the province for additional details:
| Brand | Product | Size | UPC | Codes |
| Nature’s Touch | Mangoes (frozen) | 2 kg | 8 73668 00180 7 | Best Before 2022 NO 09 |
| Compliments | Mangoes Mania (frozen) | 600 g | 0 55742 50430 9 | Best Before 2022 NO 10 and Best Before 2022 DE 18 |
| Irresistibles | Mango Chunks (frozen) | 600 g | 0 59749 87600 1 | Best Before 2022 NO 10 |
| President’s Choice | Mango Chunks (frozen) | 600 g | 0 60383 99387 0 | Best Before 2022 NO 06 and Best Before 2022 NO 10 |
The province says to secure in a plastic bag and throw out the above products or return them to the store of purchase and sanitize any space where they were stored.
The province is also advising people to err on the safe side and not consume any frozen mango product if you cannot be sure that the mangoes used weren’t a part of the recall.
Keep an eye out for the following symptoms of hepatitis A:
- Fever
- Dark urine;
- Loss of appetite;
- Fatigue (tiredness);
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Stomach cramps or abdominal pain; and
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
These are more likely to occur in adults as opposed to children and typically appear 14 to 28 days after exposure, but can appear 50 days after as well.
Symptoms usually last less than two months. Mild symptoms may last only one or two weeks, while severe symptoms can last up to nine months.
Be advised that if a person has been infected with hepatitis A, it is possible to spread the virus to other people before you experience any symptoms.
Provincial public health officials advise that vaccination for hepatitis A can prevent the onset of symptoms. Anyone who has eaten one of the recalled brands of frozen mangoes in the last 14 days and has not been fully immunized for hepatitis A should contact Health Links to determine if they should be vaccinated.