In a follow-up to the hepatitis A outbreak in the Caerphilly community in Wales, health officials report one new case in the outbreak, bringing the number of cases associated with Glyn-Gaer Primary School to seven.

Hepatitis A Image/CDC
Hepatitis A Image/CDC

The new case is a close contact of a patient already confirmed with the infection, and did not contract the illness within the school.

The total number of cases in the outbreak, which includes two cases of Hepatitis A in the local community, is now nine.

More than 200 pupils and over 50 adults were vaccinated at the primary school earlier this month as a precaution.

Hepatitis A vaccination is not routinely offered on the NHS as the infection is rare in the UK, with only 13 reported cases in Wales in 2012.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis A virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months.  A person can transmit the virus to others up to 2 weeks before and one week after symptoms appear.

Typical symptoms of hepatitis A include, but are not limited to: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

There are no specific treatments once a person gets hepatitis A.  However, it can be prevented through vaccination or through receipt of a medicine called immune globulin.  This medicine contains antibodies from other people who are immune to Hepatitis A.

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