Officials have confirmed that there has been an outbreak of hepatitis A in Oahu, Hawaii. At least 12 adults have been diagnosed, with 6 requiring treatment in a hospital.
The disease spreads through close contact and sharing water and food with an infected individual. It can cause inflammation of the liver, but it is actually highly treatable if it is diagnosed early on.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A include fever, fatigue, diarrhea, dark urine, yellow skin, and loss of appetite. The disease can take a long time to appear after being exposed to it: in some cases the infected person doesn’t even develop symptoms for over 50 days.
Doctors advise anyone who is suffering from any of these symptoms to call their doctor immediately. The treatment for Hepatitis A is typically quick and does not have many medical complications, however, the risk develops when symptoms are ignored and the disease is allowed to fester in the body for too long.
Health officials in Hawaii ask that residents go through their vaccination records and confirm whether or not they have been vaccinated.
Officials also recommend that those living in Oahu are vigilant about washing their hands, as this can help curb the spread of the disease. They also state that when cooking, the food should be prepared at high temperatures to ensure that it kills the virus completely.
At the moment, officials aren’t sure where the disease is coming from as there doesn’t appear to be a link between patients. Doctors are investigating the outbreak and expect more people to come forward with symptoms in the next few weeks.
Sources:
The Monitor Daily
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