San Diego's hepatitis A outbreak continues to grow
Add 20 more cases and 22 more hospitalizations to San Diego County’s ever-growing Hepatitis A outbreak.  Tuesday afternoon the county Health and Human Services Agency bumped the outbreak’s confirmed cases from 461 to 481 and hospitalizations from 315 to 337. The death count associated with the outbreak, which started in November 2016, remained at 17 for a second straight week.

Add 20 more cases and 22 more hospitalizations to San Diego County’s ever-growing hepatitis A outbreak.

Tuesday afternoon the county Health and Human Services Agency bumped the outbreak’s confirmed cases from 461 to 481 and hospitalizations from 315 to 337. The death count associated with the outbreak, which started in November 2016, remained at 17 for a second straight week.

For the last two weeks, the health department has reported having more than 40 cases under investigation awaiting confirmation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that they are of the same unique strains associated with other outbreak cases.

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No information on the number of cases under investigation was available Tuesday. All of those who have died during the outbreak have had underlying medical conditions such as liver disease. Most were also homeless and/or drug users.

Vaccination events continue throughout the city as public health officials focus on those at the highest risk of infection such as health and safety workers and those who work with homeless outreach organizations and food service workers.

Hepatitis A infection is seldom fatal unless other complications, such as liver disease or an autoimmune disorder, are already present.

The hepatitis A virus is shed in human feces and is transmitted when a person accidentally consumes a small amount of fecal matter left on food, drinks, drugs or other materials. Proper hand hygiene — washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom — is sufficient to kill the virus, though alcohol-based hand sanitizer may not be effective. Hepatitis A symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), abdominal pain, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea.

For information on where to get a hepatitis a vaccination, dial 2-1-1.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson