Lawsuit filed over hepatitis A outbreak linked to berries

LINCOLN, Neb. — An Omaha woman who contracted hepatitis A after eating blackberries she bought at a Fresh Thyme grocery store has sued the company.

The woman who filed the lawsuit Wednesday, Kerrie Tabaka, says she was hospitalized for a week for treatment of hepatitis A and continues to experience fatigue and other symptoms.

Earlier this month, health officials warned consumers in 11 states against eating some berries bought from the Fresh Thyme chain. Federal and state health officials have confirmed 11 cases of hepatitis A, including six in Nebraska, as part of the outbreak in Nebraska, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Fresh Thyme officials didn’t immediately respond to the lawsuit filed Wednesday. The company has said it is cooperating with investigators to identify the source of the contamination.

Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver and can cause mild, flu-like symptoms for several weeks.