Hundreds of Florida students may have been exposed to hepatitis

Hundreds of students at two Florida high schools are on high alert for hepatitis A symptom after an employee has been diagnosed with the infection.

One person working at Silverthorn Country Club Restaurant was diagnosed with the infection – but not until after both Springstead High School and Central High School had their proms there.

The infected employee was working at Silverthorn's restaurant between April 12th and 30th, and one was held there on April 13 and another on the 27th.

Health officials are scrambling to spread the word to the students, who are being tested and vaccinated.

Hundreds of Florida students may have been exposed to hepatitis A by an infected worker at the site where two high schools held their proms last month (file image)

Florida has been having a hepatitis A problem recently.

Since January 20 of last year, 385 people cases of the liver disease have been reported in the state, and its health department says that it is three times higher than annual averages for the previous five years.

Hepatitis A person is a person who is infected with a person who is infected or who is infected with a person.

Good hand-washing practices typically prevent its transmission.

So the presence of an employee with the infection is a problem that is particularly worrisome.

The schools – which have over 3,000 students – shared info from the local Hernando Health Department, where they were vaccinated, they would be defended against infection if they were given within two weeks of exposure.

Hepatitis A can present with fatigue, abdominal pain, dark urine diarrhea, fever, discolored stool and jaundice.

Hernando county has already had 39 cases of hepatitis this year, but, so far, there have been no positive results.

Students and their families are nonetheless (and unsurprisingly) upset.

'The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Do you want to wash your hands? I love to suck every time, 'Cathy Czyr, whose son went to Silverthorn last month, told News Channel 8.

Student Alyssa Fiorvante said: 'It's just unbelievable. It's crazy to think that because these people are eating and drinking their food.