COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio’s health department says it’s declaring a statewide outbreak of hepatitis A.
State officials say Ohio has 79 hepatitis A cases so far this year and that many of them are linked to a multi-state outbreak in neighboring states.
The 79 cases are nearly twice as many than what was reported all of last year.
“Good hand-washing and vaccination are the best ways to prevent hepatitis A in at-risk individuals,” said Sietske de Fijter, state epidemiologist and chief of the department’s Bureau of Infectious Diseases.
De Fijter says the state has provided more than 5,000 doses of hepatitis A vaccine to local health departments.
Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia also are dealing with a large number of hepatitis A cases.
Hepatitis A is transmitted by oral contact with fecal matter.
It attacks the liver and causes symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, fever and jaundice.
Ohio’s outbreak cases appear to be primarily among people who use illegal drugs, those who have been incarcerated, people who have had contact with known cases, those also infected with hepatitis C, men who have sex with men, and people experiencing homelessness, the agency said.