WASHINGTON — There are now 28 confirmed cases of hepatitis A in Virginia linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
The source is believed to be frozen strawberries from Egypt.
The restaurant chain removed Egyptian strawberries from all of its stores and replaced them with ones from other sources.
Also, CEO Mike Rotondo issued an apology in a commercial.
But now lawsuits have been filed.
An Olney, Maryland, man is suing for $100,000 after he says he bought several smoothies at a Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Purcellville earlier this month.
The suit says the man started feeling achy and getting headaches around August 12, and eventually his symptoms worsened to include stomach and chest pain and dark-colored urine.
The lawsuit says the man was hospitalized from August 19-22, and he continues to suffer from complications.
Separately, a class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of people who were exposed to hepatitis A at Tropical Smoothie Cafe and received a vaccine or other treatment that prevented them from getting sick.
The suit says the number of potential class members “is likely to be in the thousands”.
