In a follow-up on the San Diego County, CA hepatitis A outbreak, health officials report the outbreak has grown to 275 cases and eight deaths.
Seventy percent of the cases required hospitalization and all eight people had underlying medical conditions at the time of their death.
People who are either homeless or using illicit drugs account for at least seven in ten of the illnesses, and just over one in five also have hepatitis C.
LISTEN: Talking Hepatitis A with Dr Amesh Adalja
“We continue to stress that people who are at risk should get vaccinated and people need to be vigilant about washing their hands after going to the bathroom,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “We are continuing to evaluate cases, but so far public health investigators have not identified any common food, drink or drug source as the contributing cause to this outbreak.”
The County is working with community partners to conduct vaccination clinics for people who are at risk for hepatitis A. These partners include homeless services providers, community health clinics, faith-based community organizations, substance abuse treatment providers, hospital emergency departments, jails, and probation facilities.
Related:
- Rabies: Minnesota horse tests positive
- Utah E. coli outbreak coming to an end, linked to infected livestock
- Vibrio vulnificus updates: Mobile County and Florida
- Dallas resident is county’s 1st West Nile virus death
- Coyote tapeworm in Alberta: 5th human case reported
- Ohio reports 11 human H3N2v influenza cases last week
- New York City reports increase in Cyclospora infections
One thought on “Hepatitis A: More deaths reported in San Diego”