The County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency also increased the number of hospitalizations related to the outbreak from 263 to 279 over the same time period. No new deaths were reported, keeping the outbreak’s death toll at 15.
The majority of individuals affected by the outbreak, which began in November 2016, have either been homeless, an illicit drug user or both. The investigation into the source of the outbreak is ongoing. On Sept. 1, county health officials declared the outbreak a public health emergency.
Symptoms of hepatitis A infection include abdominal pain, low-grade fever, nausea, fatigue and jaundice. The virus is highly transmissible and is most often spread via contact with fecal matter from an infected individual, which can contaminate food and water.
To learn more about hepatitis A, click here.
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