- First is a case in Alabama where a pizza delivery person has been diagnosed. People who have purchased pizza from this establishment have been asked to get a vaccine.
- In San Diego, CA, a huge outbreak of Hepatitis A has close to 500 infected but has had a huge impact among the homeless population. Vaccines have been given at local parks, a place where the homeless my frequent.
- In SE Michigan, more than 300 have become infected, including at least one food worker.
ABC 33 Alabama
http://abc3340.com/news/local/hepatitis-a-virus-found-in-anniston-food-handler
Vaccines recommended after Anniston restaurant worker tests positive for Hepatitis A
by James Franklin| [not the football coach]
Wednesday, October 11th 2017
ANNISTON, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Public Heath (ADPH) says a worker at Marco's Pizza in Anniston was found to have Hepatitis A.
The ADPH is suggesting customers who ate at Marco's Pizza between September 26 and October 2, 2017 be identified, as they may need the Hepatitis A vaccine to reduce their chances of the illness.
Hepatitis A can be transmitted person-to-person, as well as by eating food or drinks made by a person who is infected. Infection can be prevented with a vaccine, but only within two weeks of exposure.
Dr. Burnestine Taylor, Medical Officer for Disease Control and Prevention, ADPH, provided the following statement in a release:
Adults with hepatitis A may have symptoms that include fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice. These symptoms usually resolve within two months of infection. Children less than 6 years of age generally do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Almost all people who get hepatitis A recover completely.ADPH advises those who ate at Marco's in Anniston between the listed dates contact your health care provider, pharmacy, or Calhoun County Health Department to get the vaccine as soon as possible or to learn your past vaccination status.
Not every place in the Anniston area currently has the Vaccine. We made some phone calls today and found out Anniston Care Plus does have the vaccine. Southern Immediate Care is ordering some and should get it in Saturday. We've also been told some Walgreens and Rite-Aid's have the vaccine in stock.
Marco's delivery driver Chad Bedwell says the employee with Hepatitis A is also a delivery driver. "Wasn't someone who prepared the food or anything like that...they never would have touched any of the product itself just would have been transfer from the box to them."
Bedwell says Marcos has been given instructions from the Department of Health. And Cindy Lesinger, Immunizations Division Director, tells us the restaurant is in total cooperation with the department. "Had a clean bill of health from the health department, everything's fine, service is continuing," says Bedwell.
For additional information on Hepatitis A, visit the Centers for Disease and Control here: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/index.htm
NBC 7 - San Diego
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Possible-Good-News-In-San-Diego-Countys-Deadly-Hepatitis-A-Outbreak-450362533.htmlPossible Good News in San Diego County's Deadly Hepatitis A Outbreak
By Omari Fleming
A San Diego County Public Health Officer says the rate of the deadly Hepatitis A outbreak may be slowing down.
"We have seen a leveling off of the number of cases. We need several more weeks. Maybe even another month before we can definitively say," said Dr. Wilma Wooten.
Wooten spoke Tuesday night at the Chula Vista City Council meeting, calming concerns that the virus may have come from the Tijuana River or any other location.
She noted that the Hepatitis A strain in San Diego is different from the one seen in Mexico.
Wooten also updated officials on the number of cases of Hepatitis A, mostly affecting the homeless population. Countywide there have been 490 cases since November 2016--18 of them now deadly.
Chula Vista's been tackling the health concern since June of this year, educating people by posting bilingual signs in park bathrooms.
Bathrooms are now cleaned with a chlorine solution and the police HOT (Homeless Outreach Team) and county nurses have teamed up for mobile drives.
Chula Vista city officials said during eight mobile drives, 175 Hepatitis A vaccines have been given at area parks.
Kim Ball is one of the people who received a vaccine. She calls Memorial Park home.
It’s one of the 14 parks where watering stations have been installed since park bathrooms close at night.
The county has spent $3 million fighting the outbreak so far and it expects to spend $1.5 million per month until the outbreak is over.
Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Possible-Good-News-In-San-Diego-Countys-Deadly-Hepatitis-A-Outbreak-450362533.html#ixzz4vOj7HEJo
Follow us: @nbcsandiego on Twitter | NBCSanDiego on Facebook
The Voice
http://www.voicenews.com/news/hepatitis-a-outbreak-investigation-continues-in-southeast-michigan/article_a39b4852-a0dd-11e7-874e-97f2e650ad72.html
Hepatitis A outbreak investigation continues in southeast Michigan
Hundreds of cases confirmed
Sep 24, 2017
Comments
State and local health officials are continuing to investigate an outbreak of hepatitis A cases in southeast Michigan.
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, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is usually spread when a person ingests the virus from contact with contaminated objects, food or drinks.
The outbreak in southeast Michigan has been under investigation for several months. Last fall, possible hepatitis A exposure related to contaminated frozen strawberries that were recalled nationwide was identified at four locations in St. Clair County and one in Macomb County. In May, a confirmed case was discovered at the St. Clair County Detention and Intervention Center in Port Huron.
"The southeast Michigan hepatitis A outbreak remains a top priority for public health officials from both the investigation and prevention standpoints," Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Eden Wells said in a news release.
More than 300 cases of hepatitis A and 14 deaths were confirmed between Aug. 1, 2016, and Sept. 15. Of those cases, more than 85 percent have been hospitalized, a 16-fold increase from Aug. 1, 2014, to Sept. 15, 2015.
A confirmed case was recently discovered in a bakery food worker at a Meijer store in Mount Pleasant. Anyone who consumed any baked goods made on-site at the bakery department between Aug. 23 and Sept. 20 may have been exposed to the virus.
A confirmed case was recently discovered in a bakery food worker at a Meijer store in Mount Pleasant. Anyone who consumed any baked goods made on-site at the bakery department between Aug. 23 and Sept. 20 may have been exposed to the virus.
No other Meijer stores or bakeries are affected, officials said.
Those with confirmed cases range in age from 20 to 87, and two-thirds are men. More than half have a history of substance abuse; 28 percent are co-infected with hepatitis C; 15 percent are homeless or in transient housing situations, and 19 have a history of recent incarceration.
While no common source of the outbreak has been identified, transmission appears to be person to person through illicit drug use, sexual activity and close contact among household members.
Hepatitis A appears as an acute or newly occurring infection and does not become chronic.
The hepatitis A virus is able to survive the body’s highly acidic digestive tract and can live outside of the body for months, the CDC’s website states. High temperatures, such as boiling or cooking food or liquids for at least one minute at 185 degrees Fahrenheit kill the virus, but freezing temperatures do not.
Individuals with hepatitis A are infectious for two weeks prior to symptom onset. Symptoms of hepatitis A include yellowing of the skin, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine and light-colored stools. While some have no symptoms of the disease, they usually appear over a number of days and can last up to six months. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children.
Hepatitis A can sometimes cause liver failure and death.
There are no special treatments for hepatitis A. Almost all who become infected recover completely and do not have any lasting liver damage, although they may feel sick for months, the CDC’s website states.
While people with hepatitis A usually improve without treatment, officials are urging area citizens to get tested and vaccinated as part of their investigation into the outbreak.
"Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease, and in addition to our investigation of current and new cases, our focus is strongly aimed at increasing vaccination in adults, where hepatitis A vaccination is commonly low,” Wells said.
Those with confirmed cases range in age from 20 to 87, and two-thirds are men. More than half have a history of substance abuse; 28 percent are co-infected with hepatitis C; 15 percent are homeless or in transient housing situations, and 19 have a history of recent incarceration.
While no common source of the outbreak has been identified, transmission appears to be person to person through illicit drug use, sexual activity and close contact among household members.
Hepatitis A appears as an acute or newly occurring infection and does not become chronic.
The hepatitis A virus is able to survive the body’s highly acidic digestive tract and can live outside of the body for months, the CDC’s website states. High temperatures, such as boiling or cooking food or liquids for at least one minute at 185 degrees Fahrenheit kill the virus, but freezing temperatures do not.
Individuals with hepatitis A are infectious for two weeks prior to symptom onset. Symptoms of hepatitis A include yellowing of the skin, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine and light-colored stools. While some have no symptoms of the disease, they usually appear over a number of days and can last up to six months. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children.
Hepatitis A can sometimes cause liver failure and death.
There are no special treatments for hepatitis A. Almost all who become infected recover completely and do not have any lasting liver damage, although they may feel sick for months, the CDC’s website states.
While people with hepatitis A usually improve without treatment, officials are urging area citizens to get tested and vaccinated as part of their investigation into the outbreak.
"Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease, and in addition to our investigation of current and new cases, our focus is strongly aimed at increasing vaccination in adults, where hepatitis A vaccination is commonly low,” Wells said.
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