PA Hepatitis A Outbreak Kills 7; 82 Hospitalized

PENNSYLVANIA —A nationwide outbreak of hepatitis A has expanded in Pennsylvania, and has now infected 376 people, killing seven, health officials said. Of the Pennsylvania cases reported, 82 percent of patients were hospitalized.

The cases were reported from Jan. 1 to Aug. 10 of this year, with the highest number in Philadelphia and Bucks County (see map). The disease has been identified in more than 30 Pennsylvania counties.

Pennsylvania declared a hepatitis A outbreak in May. Cases spiked in July, with more than 100 reported in Pennsylvania that month.

The case count for 2019 is nearly nine times the number expected based on historical data, state officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also been investigating the outbreak, which has been identified in 28 additional states, including the neighboring states of New Jersey and Ohio.

Hepatitis A is a communicable viral disease of the liver transmitted person-to-person. The virus is typically transmitted from person-to-person when it is ingested from objects, food or drinks contaminated by an infected person, according to health officials.

According to state health officials, people most at risk of contracting hepatitis A include:

• Someone who has encountered a person who has hepatitis A
• People who use injected illicit drugs
• People who are homeless
• Men who have sex with other men

But hepatitis A cases have also been observed in those without these risk factors. In New Jersey,
23 people were recently infected with the disease at an upscale golf club after an employee came to work sick.

Symptoms, which include fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain and jaundice, can last several weeks, health officials said. Severe cases can result in death.

The disease can be prevented with a vaccine. Last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced it would supply hundreds of vaccines to several health departments to immunize uninsured individuals at risk of the disease.
In addition to using the state funds to purchase vaccines, the Department of Health is exploring federal funding streams that will be used to enhance Pennsylvania’s outbreak response by purchasing additional vaccines and providing more local hepatitis A outreach.

“We are urging residents to remain aware of this outbreak as the department works to treat Pennsylvanians suffering from this illness and prevent it from spreading,” Secretary of Health Dr. Levine said. ”

Residents who think they have been exposed to hepatitis A should contact their physician for further testing. Those that are uninsured or underinsured should contact 1-877-PA-HEALTH to find a state health center near you where you can be tested and monitored.