Hepatitis Outbreak In San Diego Rises To 481 Cases

The number of hepatitis A cases in San Diego County rose to 481 Tuesday — 337 of which required hospitalization. Since the virulent outbreak started in November 2016, 17 people have died.

Some 40 individual cases are under investigation, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. Those 17 people who died from the outbreak had underlying conditions. Two-thirds of those who were sickened were homeless or drug users, according to local television station KUSI-TV.

Hepatitis A is an infection that affects the liver, typically spread from contact with contaminated objects, food or people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice and other ailments. And while most people recover completely from the disease, elderly people or those with pre-existing liver diseases are at risk of death.

San Diego has undertaken efforts to quell the outbreak by cleaning and sanitizing streets and sidewalks where homeless people or at-risk groups often gather. The city implemented vaccination events focusing on specific groups like health and safety workers, food service workers and employees with homeless advocacy organizations. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer also announced the opening of a temporary “transitional camp area” to provide sanitary shelter for more than 200 homeless people in San Diego in the midst of the outbreak.

Despite efforts to contain the outbreak, the city came under fire this week as officials leveled accusations that those in power had not done enough to warn of the impending crisis.

“It is undeniable that the city should have done more to address the hepatitis A outbreak as ar back as May,” said Councilman David Alvarez, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “More people were exposed and the outbreak grew due to the lack of urgency. The city must now take extraordinary measures to address this.”

It could be difficult to ascertain exactly when the outbreak is over because the disease’s incubation period could be up to 50 days, county public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten told San Diego’s city council.