Flagler hepatitis cases up to 9, Volusia has the 3rd largest total in the state, with 236

Sixty-four more cases of hepatitis A were reported to the state last week, bringing to 2,609 the total number of cases reported this year, according to state data on Saturday. Citrus County recorded nine new cases last week, the highest number in the state, according to an analysis by the News Service of Florida.

Volusia County has the second highest number of newly reported cases with seven, bringing the total number of reported cases to 236. Pinellas County has recorded five new cases, bringing its total number to 363. The County of Pasco had 392 cases this year. more than any other county in the state, although only one case was reported last week.

Flagler County has only recorded an increase in one case since the previous week, for a total of nine. Department of Health officials are concerned about Flagler's proximity to Volusia because of the fluidity of the homeless population in the county. Health officials have administered hepatitis vaccines at Flagler County Jail and other high-risk groups.

Hepatitis A is a contagious disease that can attack the liver and is spread in part by oral ingestion of feces. This can happen, for example, if people do not wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet. With the number of hepatitis A cases increasing exponentially, Health Department Secretary Scott Rivkees launched a public health emergency in August and encouraged immunization, particularly for those Floridians considered at risk or vulnerable to disease. viruses once infected.

"This is a preventable condition by vaccination. So, if a person is exposed to hepatitis A and receives a vaccine within 14 days, this can be avoided, "said Rivkees, who is also a state general surgeon, to members of the Senate Committee. public health policies. Populations at risk include homeless people and drug addicts, accounting for about 491,000 people in Florida, according to data from the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To stop the spread of the virus, the CDC has recommended the vaccination of 80% of the population at risk. This translates to about 392,000 people.

-News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

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