Louisville sees 100+ cases of hepatitis A in countywide outbreak

Megan Knowles -

Louisville, Ky., health officials are working to identify the cause of a hepatitis A outbreak, which has affected 115 patients in the Jefferson County, Ky., area since November, according to a USA Today report.

Health officials have yet to determine the outbreak's exact cause, Dave Langdon, spokesman for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness told USA Today.

Over 5,700 people have been vaccinated across Louisville since the outbreak started, Mr. Langdon said. Kentucky has seen over 125 cases statewide and no deaths, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Kentucky is one of four states experiencing outbreaks, including Michigan, which has had 771 cases since an outbreak began in August 2016, California, which has had 700 cases since November 2016 and Utah, which has had 200 cases since Jan. 1, 2017.

All students in Jefferson County Public Schools will be required to receive two doses of the vaccine to attend school starting in August. The state requirement applies to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

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