California Hep A Outbreak Continues—and Could Last Years

We told you in August about a hepatitis A outbreak that killed eight people in San Diego County, CA. The worse news is that hep A continues to spread throughout California—and could continue to do so for years to come, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions. At least 569 people have been infected, including 17 who have died, since last November in San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Los Angeles counties. They’re among many counties to start offering vaccines to the homeless, the population considered most at risk for person-to-person infection (as all the cases have been, to date). Drug users and people in close contact with them or the homeless are also considered at elevated risk. The general population is not considered at risk, public health officials stress, so at present there is no recommendation to vaccinate beyond the high-risk groups. So far, 57,000 people have received the shots.