THE GRILL AT SILVERTHORN- As many of you have seen on the news by now, the restaurant at Silverthorn Country Club recently had an employee test positive for Hepatitis-A. We would like to give everyone some more details on the matter and try to ease some fears.
The employee was a part-time dishwasher that did not handle food and has not been employed here since before Easter. He was not present at the Easter Brunch nor was he here for the Springstead prom.
Once he was diagnosed as testing positive, the health department immediately informed us and did a thorough inspection. They swabbed all the surfaces of the kitchen and tested all the food. All tests came back negative for any virus. At that time we were given a clean bill of health to continue business as usual.
Even though those tests were negative, we took the extra step of having the entire restaurant deep cleaned and sanitized, and our current employees were all vaccinated, just to be safe.
While the news reports may sound shocking, we assure you this is just standard procedure: any time the health department gets news of someone testing positive for this sort of virus, they must go through all of these steps and alert the media. They want everyone to be informed, as do we, so that they can choose to take precautions if they wish. The Hernando County health department office on Forest Oaks Blvd. is open to offer free vaccinations to anyone who may be concerned they were exposed. Also, for those who live in or near Silverthorn, the Publix on Barclay Avenue has stocked extra doses of the vaccine if anyone wishes to go there. While they do not offer it free of charge, they have the means to work with your insurance company and have on-site clinics for anyone who wants more information.
We do apologize for any inconvenience or stress this news may have caused and appreciate everyone’s support while we work through this. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our manager, Wayne Connelly, at 352-797-6383. Thank you.
Note: The above information was originally published as “Update from The Grill at Silverthorn.”
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Advisory from the Florida Department of Health:
Brooksville, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Hernando County (DOH-Hernando) has identified a positive case of hepatitis A in a food service worker at the Silverthorn Country Club Restaurant in Spring Hill, FL. The employee may have exposed patrons between April 12 – 30, 2019.
Hepatitis A vaccine or immune globulin (IG) may provide protection against the disease if given within two weeks after exposure. Therefore, Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for anyone who ate or drank between April 17 – 30 at the restaurant, which is located at 4550 Golf Club Lane. Concerned Silverthorn customers can call DOH-Hernando at 352-247-6111 to leave their information and a call-back number to speak directly with a nurse.
DOH-Hernando is also offering the hepatitis A vaccine for free at the Spring Hill location of the Health Department with extended hours May 1 – 3 and May 6 – 8 until 7 p.m
Persons who consumed any food or beverage from this restaurant from April 12 – 16 may have also been exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Patrons should monitor for symptoms of hepatitis A infection which include sudden onset of abdominal discomfort, dark urine, fever, diarrhea, pale white stools, and yellow skin and eyes (jaundice). Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention promptly.
Hernando County has seen a significant increase in hepatitis A cases. In 2019, the number of cases of locally identified hepatitis A infections in Hernando County is 39, compared to 6 cases in 2018, and 2 cases from 2014-2016.
Health Department
7551 Forest Oaks Blvd. Spring Hill, FL 34606
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
352-540-6800
Florida Department of Health advisory: https://www.hernandosun.com/article/doh-hernando-identifies-case-hepatitis-food-service-worker-encourages-vaccination
