More than 600 Hepatitis A cases have been reported in Southeast Michigan as the outbreak continues to ravage the communities. Public health officials are continuing to see these numbers elevate, and warn that it will continue to worsen as we approach the holidays.
According to Voice News, more than 80 percent of those who have contracted the highly contagious liver disease have required hospitalization. Another 20 people have died after becoming infected with the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that symptoms can be mild or severe depending on the health of the person who contracts the virus. The elderly and those with existing liver conditions are the most at risk. Those infected can be contagious for up to two weeks before showing any symptoms, which include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal and joint pain, yellowing of the skin, dark urine and light-colored stools.
The virus is spread through direct person-to-person contact, contaminated food and beverages, and illicit drug use. But this outbreak is difficult for health officials to contain since no common source of the outbreak has been identified, health officials said. Washing your hands after going to the bathroom and before preparing meals for yourself and others, using your own towels, toothbrushes and eating utensils, and not sharing food and drinks with other people are all good ways to prevent the spread of the disease.
An increased number of hepatitis A cases has been seen in recent months. In the fall of 2016, possible hepatitis A exposure related to frozen strawberries that were recalled nationwide was identified at four locations in St. Clair County and one location in Macomb County. In May, a confirmed case was discovered at the St. Clair County Detention and Intervention Center in Port Huron.
In October, an employee at the Algonac Flaming Grill was found to have hepatitis A, leading local health officials to recommend vaccinations to those who ate at the restaurant between Oct. 6 and 20. The St. Clair County Health Department offered the vaccine at several recent walk-in clinics.
Food workers with the disease have the ability to infect a large number of people rapidly and are encouraged to get vaccinated.
The holidays also pose an increased risk of exposure to hepatitis A as families and friends come together to celebrate. –Â Â Voice News
A national shortage of the vaccine has complicated efforts to contain outbreaks, but the St. Clair County Health Department reports an adequate local supply of the adult vaccine. Health officials state that the best way to prevent contraction of the hepatitis A virus is by getting two doses of the vaccine. Protection will begin two to four weeks after the first injection. The second injection will offer protection for a longer period of time.
I disappointed 600 infecred and only 20 dead. That aint enough of a culling.
As long as it’s scum ass somali muslim trash.
the spread of diseases like this – thru social contact – is just one of the major reasons why a country needs to control it’s own borders – and verify everyone coming thru the gate ….
illegals coming over the gate – around all the controls – are a hazard to any country ….
Researchers have discovered a new respect for the lowly fat cell. The fat cell does more than just store energy for bad times. It produces messenger molecules that communicate with the cells of the immune system. One of the key molecules is leptin. Too much or too little creates serious health problems. The more fat cells, the more leptin. The less fat cells, the less leptin. The doctors have a measure called the “Body Adiposity Index (BAI) which is the percentage of your body weight that is in fat. Our immune systems and body as a whole works best at an ideal BAI. Most doctors work off of Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a ratio of height to weight. They compare your BMI to the values in a table to decide what category you fall in. Most Americans are either overweight or obese. I don’t know what the ideal BAI is. The best preparation for a pandemic would be to get the ideal BAI. I know it isn’t easy but it is worth it. No crash diets!
For generations, doctors would tell us: (1) Eat more fruits & vegetables, (2) eat more fiber, and (3) lose weight. They had no real idea of how important that advice was and no clear idea of why.
I’d ensure a total 60 day quarantine of all entries into this country from other nations. The problem is that even those who are tourists…. visitors, also can bring in viruses and other diseases. Some form of medical screening is of utmost and paramount importance in the global view of things. As for our current immigration policy – scrap it in its entirety and immediately quarantine all who’ve entered in the last 5 years.
Hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego, California also.
Whats that?
Its in the Somali community?
GOOD!
I recall that immigrants coming into Ellis Island were stringently examined by health officials. If one so much as looked ill they were turned back to the country of origin. No appeals,no lawyers,no other nonsense. Let’s bring back those days,Mr. President
There we go. Outbreak and vaccine shortage. Or maybe down the road they discover the vaccine wasn’t as effective as first believed. Saw a restaurant worker use the restroom and leave without washing their hands. Now I rarely eat out and almost never get anything made in the grocery store deli.
Same here. I cook every day. I do eat out but not very often. I stopped eating at one deli because of who was working behind the counter. I don’t want those kind of people touching my food. I don’t.