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Rise of hepatitis A cases

Posted by (Schwerin) on

Report of reliable German media:
"The Czech Republic is currently experiencing an unusually sharp rise in hepatitis A cases. According to the national health authority, 2375 infections and 28 deaths have already been registered this year - significantly more than in previous years. The regions of Prague, Central Bohemia and Karlovy Vary are particularly affected, according to the authorities. The outbreaks have prompted Czech municipalities to step up hygiene measures and warnings - including in popular tourist areas near the German border. ...

According to the [German authority] Robert Koch Institute (RKI), 993 cases of hepatitis A with six deaths have been reported in Germany to date - however, there is currently no danger to the general population in this country. A spokesperson for the Saxon Ministry of Health told the “Freie Presse” that there is currently no particular threat to Saxony from an “infectious disease epidemiology perspective”. The distance between [German] Oberwiesenthal and [Czech] Boží Dar is only five kilometers."

Source: https://www.n-tv.de/wissen/Hepatitis-A-Ausbruch-erschuettert-Tschechien-id30030008.html

Translated with DeepL

So all, take care and have a safe journey.

Posted by
4174 posts

Another source (regional public broadcaster in Saxony) gives more information:
https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen/chemnitz/annaberg-aue-schwarzenberg/hepatitis-warnung-hygiene-wintersport-bozi-dar-100.html

"The Boží Dar ski resort on the border with Saxony is sounding the alarm: due to the rising number of hepatitis A cases, the winter sports resort is calling on its guests to practice strict hygiene. They should wash their hands frequently and thoroughly and use disinfectant. This is the authorities' response to the rapid rise in hepatitis A cases in Bohemia.

Corresponding hygiene instructions are displayed at petrol stations, stores and public toilets - also in German near the border.

The Saxon Ministry of Health announced that there is currently “no risk to the Saxon population from an infection epidemiology perspective”. The ministry went on to say: “The press releases from the Czech Republic refer to smear infections caused by people who live without a fixed abode or in poor hygienic conditions or who use drugs.”

The spread to the rest of the population in the Czech Republic is “probably mainly due to the low vaccination rates of the population there”. The authorities are assuming direct person-to-person transmission, with food or drinking water playing no role as transmission routes."

Posted by
9492 posts

A Hepatitis A vaccine is pretty easy to get here - I got it at my local CVS. Needs a second shot in 6 months.

Posted by
427 posts

Also Hep A is on the CDC schedule for any age so almost universally covered by US health insurance.

Posted by
5042 posts

I got the vaccine for this and Hep B for a missions trip to Guatemala. Since that time, I have read of people in the US occasionally getting it from a restaurant worker who had it.

Posted by
9492 posts

Hep A is one of the most common food-borne illnesses in the US.

Posted by
3765 posts

That is a huge spike in the number of Hep A infections. Get your Havrix or Vaqta vaccine if you haven’t already!

Posted by
750 posts

With the current funny ideas about vaccines, would expect more cases.

Another good reason to keep up with your vaccinations.

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