Declared statewide community outbreak of hepatitis continues

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - The Ohio Department of Health has declared a statewide community outbreak of hepatitis A after observing an increase in cases linked to certain risk factors since the beginning of 2018. Since January 2018 to February 11, 2019, Ohio has seen 1,657 cases of hepatitis A according to the Ohio Health Department. Sixty percent of those people with the virus in Ohio were hospitalized, and five people have died. Sixty-eight of the 88 counties in Ohio have had confirmed cases of hepatitis A, and four counties have seen more than 90 cases each. Franklin County is one of them and has 223 confirmed cases of hepatitis A as of February 11, 2019. In January 2019 Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in the Arena District and in February 2019 Eddy’s Chicken and Waffles on East Livingston both had one employee with Hepatitis A. Columbus Public Health in both cases urged people who were at those restaurants to get the hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. They will be giving free hepatitis A vaccines on February 18 from 11am-3pm. Grab the FREE WDTN News App for iPhone or Android. Stay up to date with all the local news, weather and sports as well as live newscasts and events as they happen. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest news, weather and sports.