Hepatitis A – a serious liver disease – has reached outbreak level in Jefferson County, according to health officials.
The Jefferson County Department of Public Health said three cases have been reported in Jefferson County, a threshold considered an outbreak. Statewide, there have been 109 confirmed cases of the Hepatitis A virus, or HAV, with 326 cases under investigation. The greatest numbers of cases are in DeKalb and Jackson counties.
Alabama is part of a national outbreak of HAV. It started in northeast Alabama in September 2018 and is spreading through the southeastern part of the state. Thirty cases were reported in July, the highest number of monthly cases since the outbreak began in September 2018.
HAV is spread person-to-person most often through fecal/oral contact among unvaccinated people. Those at the highest risk for HAV include people who use street drugs; are currently or previously incarcerated; are homeless; or who engage in oral or anal sex.
Symptoms usually occur 28 days after getting the virus, and can include:
- Fever
- Dark urine
- Feeling tired
- Pale feces
- Decreased appetite
- Joint pain
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Yellowing of skin or eyes (Jaundice)
- Stomach pain or discomfort
To reduce the risk of HAV transmission, health experts recommend receiving a vaccination and always washing your hands with soap and water after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers and before preparing any meals.
You can see more on HAV prevention here.