Hepatitis A cases skyrocket in Volusia County to 4th highest in Florida
The number of hepatitis A cases in Volusia County has almost quadrupled since May, a skyrocketing trend that is impacting the entire state
, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The most recent data shows Volusia County has the fourth-highest number of cases in the state with 128, falling behind Orange County with 129, Pinellas County with 287 and Pasco County with 314.
Statewide there are 1,636 cases — nearly three times the number of cases reported in 2018.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection that can range from a mild illness that lasts a few weeks to a severe illness that can last months. Although rare, some people can die from the infection, mostly people ages 50 and older or people with other liver diseases, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Common symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, diarrhea, clay-colored stools, joint pain and jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin and eyes. According to the CDC, most children younger than 6 will not have symptoms, but can pass the infection to others. Symptoms usually begin four weeks after exposure and develop over several days.
According to the state department of health, hepatitis A can be spread through things such as food or drinks that have been contaminated with fecal matter from people with the disease. Hepatitis B and C, which are chronic infections, are passed through blood. The CDC says the spread can also occur from close personal contact with an infected person such as through sex or caring for someone who is ill.
The infection can also be obtained by traveling to countries with high rates of hepatitis A, according to the CDC. Contamination of food and water is more likely to occur in countries where hepatitis A is common and in areas where there are poor sanitary conditions or poor personal hygiene. In the United States, chlorination of the water supply kills the virus and the Food and Drug Administration routinely monitors natural bodies of water for fecal contamination.
When The News-Journal reported on the growing number of hepatitis A cases in May, local department of health spokeswoman Holly Smith said many of the cases in Volusia County came from three high-risk groups: drug users, the homeless and people who recently have been or are incarcerated.
Hepatitis A outbreaks at the Volusia County Branch Jail have forced four or five quarantines at the facility in the past six weeks, an official said.
The exact number of inmates quarantined was not immediately available. Corrections Director Mark Flowers said the most recent quarantine began Friday, June 21, and ended Monday, June 24.
The jail has approximately 1,300 inmates and is working with the Health Department to treat the inmates, he said. The jail has a long-term plan to offer hepatitis A vaccines to incoming inmates.
“This is a problem throughout Florida,” Flowers said. “Other jails are seeing a rise in Hep A cases as well.”
Flowers said the jail is seeing an increase because it houses three groups which he said are at a high risk for hepatitis A: the homeless, intravenous drug users and people engaged in homosexual relationships.
The size of the quarantine depends on the size of the area affected, he said. If it’s a cell block, then 30 inmates would be quarantine, while if it’s a dormitory the number would be 60. A quarantine is similar to a lock down and decreases the movement of inmates inside the jail.
As soon as the medical staff at the jail learns an inmate might test positive for hepatitis A, they work with the health department to treat the problem.
The department of health office in Volusia County is focusing on the high-risk groups by offering no cost vaccinations and information about the disease and prevention.
For the homeless population, Smith said the department of health is working with the Homeless Coalition to provide vaccinations and information to the homeless at local churches providing food and other resource facilities.
“We have also been meeting with public safety agencies to provide information letting them know what hepatitis A is and how to protect themselves,” Smith said. “We give them information on a business card to give to people who are at risk so they can bring it to the health department and get a free vaccination.”
Health officials say the best line of defense against hepatitis A, aside from frequent hand-washing, is to get a vaccination. The vaccination is given as two shots six months apart, and is available through the department of health at no cost to those in the three high-risk groups. For others, the cost of the shot without insurance is $62.50. If a person demonstrates financial need, the vaccine is provided on a sliding scale, Smith said. The vaccination is also available at local pharmacies.
Both the CDC and the department of health recommend the vaccine for adolescents, but it is not a required shot for entry into Florida schools, according to the department of health’s website. However, hepatitis B is a required immunization.
Staff writer Frank Fernandez contributed to this report.
By: Nikki Ross
