Hepatitis A and Wolfgang Puck: A real public service announcement

This missive comes from Variety tech reporter David Cohen. He has particular fondness for the f/x world, even when its banquets might be infected.

If you ate tuna tartare in sesame cones during the last month, you should give Wolfgang Puck a call.

As others have reported, a prep cook infected with Hepatitis A helped prepare food for 13 Puck-catered events that took place Feb. 1-20. The disease can be spread through contaminated food, particularly if it's uncooked.

Anyone infected with Hepatitis A has two weeks to receive a preventative Immunge Globulin shot. A Valentine’s Day party held at the Pacific Design Center for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue came just under the wire. Rachel Tyree, public information officer for the Health Dept., says three other events held within the preventative window were "relatively small private parties" and all guests received phone calls from the Health Dept.

By the time the infection came to light Feb. 28, it was too late for anyone exposed at nine of the events, including the Feb. 11 Visual Effects Society Awards. The Los Angeles County Health Dept. sent warning letters to the more than 800 people who attended the event, including "Heroes" star Masi Oka, Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak and helmers John Landis and George Lucas.

Those eight other events that didn’t make deadline? They aren’t publicly identified and the Health Dept. isn’t getting involved.

"All the organizers of those nine events have told us they want to be the ones to contact their guests," says Tyree. "We respect that."

[Editor's note: I attended a Puck event Feb. 1 with the press preview for the Governor's Ball. So far, no letter.]

Party hosts promised the Health Dept. that, by Monday, letters will go out to all attendees. Tyree says the food handler is the only documented case of illness to date. And Oscar nominees can rest easy: The infected employee did not prepare food for any Oscar-weekend events, including the Governor’s Ball.

Wolfgang Puck Catering has set up a hotline and will reimburse anyone who incurs medical expenses, including IG shots, as a result of exposure at one of their events. To file claims or get more information, call (866) 437-7833.