The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has confirmed that a food handler at the Tim Hortons location on 181 Livingstone Street East in Barrie, Ontario, Canada has tested positive for hepatitis A. Customers who purchased food or beverages from the restaurant between May 17 and June 3, 2025, may have been exposed to the virus.
Health officials state that the risk of transmission to customers remains low, but those who visited the restaurant during the specified period should monitor themselves for symptoms. The incubation period for hepatitis A ranges from 15 to 50 days after exposure.
The health unit has identified specific high-risk periods when customers should consider post-exposure vaccination. These include May 30 from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., May 31 from 4:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 1 from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and June 3 from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Customers who visited during these times are advised to receive the hepatitis A vaccine within 14 days of their exposure. Post-exposure vaccination can help prevent the development of the disease. However, individuals who have previously received two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine or have had a confirmed hepatitis A infection possess immunity and do not require additional vaccination.
To accommodate affected customers, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is conducting special immunization clinics at their 15 Sperling Drive office in Barrie. The clinics began Friday, June 13, and will continue through Tuesday, June 17. Friday’s clinic runs from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., while weekend clinics operate from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Monday and Tuesday clinics are scheduled from noon to 7:00 p.m.
The vaccination deadline varies based on when customers last visited the restaurant. Those who purchased items on May 30 have until June 13 to receive the vaccine, while customers from June 3 have until June 17.
Customers who visited the restaurant between May 17 and May 29 are no longer eligible for post-exposure vaccination, as the 14-day window has passed. These individuals should continue monitoring for symptoms over the next 15 to 50 days.
Hepatitis A is a viral liver infection that spreads through contaminated food, beverages, surfaces, or close contact with infected individuals. The virus transmits through the fecal-oral route, typically when infected food handlers fail to properly wash their hands after using the restroom. Unlike respiratory illnesses, hepatitis A does not spread through coughing or sneezing.
Symptoms of hepatitis A infection include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored stools, diarrhea, general malaise, and jaundice, which appears as yellowing of the skin or eyes. Individuals who are elderly, immunocompromised, or have chronic liver conditions face higher risks of severe illness.
Health officials emphasize that there is no ongoing risk at the restaurant location. The restaurant is cooperating fully with the public health investigation.
Customers who develop symptoms and who had visited the restaurant during the specified high-risk periods should contact their healthcare provider immediately. According to leading Hepatitis A law firm Ron Simon & Associates, such incidents can occur at any food service business.
