More than four months after San Diego County Board of Supervisors ratified a local health emergency for the hepatitis A outbreak, they approved a motion ending it Tuesday.
The decision was made after reporting no new cases associated with the local hepatitis A outbreak during the past four weeks.
Health officials note that today’s action does not mean the outbreak is over and work will continue.
“New outbreak activity has leveled off to near zero,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “The sustained vaccination, sanitation and education efforts we undertook will continue and we will remain vigilant to make sure that the outbreak activity doesn’t return.
“We want to thank our local health care community, homeless service providers, non-profit and faith-based community partners, cities and other government agencies for working with us to bring the outbreak under control.”
The County will continue hepatitis A vaccinations at public health centers, jails and detention facilities, homeless tent shelters and locations where high-risk individuals congregate. Mass vaccinations will also be held for food handlers to further protect the public.
The total number of cases in the outbreak has remained at 577 with 395 hospitalizations and 20 deaths. From May to September, 2017 there were an average of 84 cases reported each month. In December, that number dropped to eight cases. No cases with symptom-onset in 2018 have been reported.
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