Hawaii Hepatitis A outbreak due to imported frozen scallops at Genki Sushi

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Fresh Sashimi, Sushi, Zensai and Makimono are popular dinner items for visitors and locals on the Hawaiian Islands.

Fresh Sashimi, Sushi, Zensai and Makimono are popular dinner items for visitors and locals on the Hawaiian Islands. Every evening you see tourists lined up at the popular Genki Sushi Restaurant inside the largest shopping mall in the South Pacific, the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honoloulu. The Ala Moana shopping mall is a magnet for tourism in the Aloha State.

While some of the more expensive Sushi restaurants service fresh local products, Genki Sushi as a national chain imported Scallops they serve raw at Genki Sushi Restaurants on Oahu and Kauai.

This raw scallop has been identified by the Hawaii State Department of Health as the source for the worst hepatitis outbreak in more than two decades in Hawaii.


Hawaii health officials today ordered all Genki Sushi restaurants to close immediately. This is to prevent a further outbreak.

There are 10 Genki Sushi restaurants on Oahu and one on Kauai. Not effected are Genki Sushi restaurants on Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. eTN was not able to confirm if there should be a concern for the two Genki Sushi restaurants in California and the State of Washington.

So far, 168 people have been infected, mostly on Oahu. The virus is usually spread through food or drink contaminated wit traces of the feces of an infected person. The infectious liver disease can also spread through close personal contact.

The Hawaii Department of Health has encouraged to consider getting vaccinated for hepatitis A, and advises that they talk to their healthcare provider about hepatitis A if they are interested. Vaccination for hepatitis A is strongly recommended for certain individuals who are especially at risk.

Hawaii residents and visitors are also advised that the demand for the vaccine during the outbreak has led to varied supply levels around the state, so it is recommended that they call ahead to assure the vaccine is available at a particular clinic or pharmacy before going there.

Locations of Genki Sushi Restaurants:

Aina Haina
820 West Hind Drive, # 102
Honolulu, HI 96821
(808) 373-4033

Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd.#2096
Mall Level
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 942-9102

Ewa Town Center
91-1401 Fort Weaver Rd. D-102
Ewa Beach, HI 96706
(808) 683-1003

Kaneohe
45-480 Kaneohe Bay Drive
Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
(808) 247-9595

Kapahulu
888 Kapahulu Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
Sunday to Thursday 10:30 to 9:00pm
Friday and Saturday 10:30 to 10:00pm
(808) 735-7700

Kapolei Commons
4450 Kapolei Parkway
Kapolei, Hawaii 96707
(808) 674-4227

Pearlridge Center Uptown
( 2 level near Ross )
98-1005 Moanalua Road, Ste.801
Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 485-5801

Waikele Center
Sp.201 Bldg 2 Sp.12
94-799 Lumiaina St.
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 678-3180

Waiau
98-430 Kamehameha Hwy.
Pearl City, Hawaii 96782
(808) 485-0227

Ward Center
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.
Building 3, Bay 3
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 591-5600

Kukui Grove Shopping Center
3-2600 Kaumualii Highway
Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766
(808) 632-2450

Lahaina
435 Keawe Street, C-101/102
Lahaina, HI 96761

Kona Commons
74-5450 Makala Blvd #202
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
808-327-6776 & 808-327-6773
808-327-6775 FAX

Genki Sushi โ€“ Mainplace
Westfield MainPlace
2800 N. Main Street #1040
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 972-4677

Renton Village Shopping Center
365 South Grady Way, Suite B & C
Renton, WA 98057
(425) 277-1050

Factoria Mall
3928 Factoria Square Mall S.E.
Space B04
Bellevue, WA 98006
(425) 747-7330

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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