Hepatitis A outbreaks hit Southeast Michigan and San Diego
By
Benjamin Mateus
19 December 2017
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that several states across the US have witnessed a rise in outbreaks of hepatitis A, especially among homeless and people using injection or non-injection drugs.
As of December 1, California has reported 672 cases, of which 430 have been hospitalized, and 21 have died. San Diego, with the fourth largest community of homeless in the US, faces the brunt of this with 567 cases, 382 hospitalizations and 20 deaths. Santa Cruz and Los Angeles have also reported a rise in hepatitis A cases.
The outbreak in Southeast Michigan started in August 2016. By December 13, 2017, 610 cases had been reported, with 501 hospitalizations and 20 deaths. The City of Detroit and Macomb, Wayne, Oakland and St. Clair counties are most affected.
Other states with rising cases of hepatitis A are Utah and Kentucky. Arizona and Colorado have reported incidents of hepatitis A as a byproduct of the epidemic in California.
In October 2017, Governor Jerry Brown of California declared a statewide state of emergency in an attempt to procure funds and resources and mobilize services to manage the outbreak. The above mentioned California cities have declared the local outbreaks and have distributed more than 80,000 doses of the hepatitis A vaccine. The cause of the outbreak in Southern California is attributed to the large homeless population in this region of the country and the rise of unaffordable housing. Access to clean restrooms, bathing and laundry facilities is also a major factor.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the cause for the outbreak in Michigan remains unknown, though officials are probing links to the opioid and heroin crisis…