Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, July 30, 2018
(BEDFORD) - The number of Hepatitis A cases in Lawrence County continue to rise. There are currently 45 cases; an increase of 2 new cases.
There has been one confirmed death from the disease with 136 hospitalized.
The hepatitis A outbreak in Indiana is now at 298 confirmed cases. Last week, the state reported 283 cases. There has been one death.
Other local counties affected include Washington County with 14 and Orange County with 10 confirmed cases. In the surrounding area Clark County reported 66 cases, with Floyd County at 43 and Wayne County at 31
More than 52,506 vaccines have been dispensed -- a number that includes public and private doses. According to the state report, 2,353 vaccines have been given in Lawrence County.
Indiana is one of 10 states experiencing a hepatitis A outbreak.
Transmission is presumed to occur person to person; no contaminated commercial food product has been identified. Based on CDC guidelines, populations who are homeless, transient, incarcerated or use illicit drugs and their close direct contacts are considered at increased risk of exposure to hepatitis A.
If you believe you have been exposed to hepatitis A or are homeless, use injection or non-injection drugs, were recently incarcerated, or had contact with someone who has hepatitis A, contact your healthcare provider about hepatitis A vaccine.
To reduce the risk of hepatitis A transmission, people who have not received two doses of hepatitis A vaccine may ask their healthcare providers for protection. Additionally, always wash your hands with soap and water after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers and before preparing meals for yourself and others. Do not attend work or school if you are experiencing symptoms of hepatitis A, which include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, tiredness, stomach ache, fever, dark-colored (cola) urine, light-colored stool and jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes). Symptoms may take as many as 50 days from exposure to appear.
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