By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
Florida state health officials reported an additional 90 hepatitis A cases during the week ending June 29, bringing the total to 1718 since the beginning of the year and 2266 since the outbreak began in 2018.
The most cases reported this year has been in Pasco County (329) followed by Pinellas (296), Volusia (141), Orange (132) and Hillsborough (107). The number of deaths reported in Florida linked to this outbreak stands at 21 through May 31, 2019.
Nationally, 25 states have publicly reported outbreaks since 2016 accounting for 21,230 cases, six out of 10 hospitalized, and 203 fatalities.
The CDC says the hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent hepatitis A virus infection.
The following groups are at highest risk for acquiring HAV infection or developing serious complications from HAV infection in these outbreaks and should be offered the hepatitis A vaccine in order to prevent or control an outbreak:
- People who use drugs (injection or non-injection)
- People experiencing unstable housing or homelessness
- Men who have sex with men (MSM)
- People who are currently or were recently incarcerated
- People with chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C
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