Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, July 23, 2018
(BEDFORD) - The number of Hepatitis A cases in Lawrence County is on the rise. There are currently 43 cases; an increase of 12 new cases.
There has been one confirmed death from the disease with 133 hospitalized.
The hepatitis A outbreak in Indiana is now at 283 confirmed cases. Last week, the state reported 220 cases.
Other local counties affected include Washington County with 14 and Orange County with 9 confirmed cases.
More than 43,986 vaccines have been dispensed -- a number that includes public and private doses. According to the state report, 1,734 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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