Hepatitis A outbreak during the Covid-19 pandemic
Hepatitis A
There are 28 states in the current Hepatitis A outbreak, with 3 new outbreak states since the start of the pandemic (March 2020): Delaware, Kansas and Maryland. While COVID-19 is the infectious disease on the top of everyone’s mind, it is not the only circulating virus that can affect public health, as Hepatitis A is quietly and rapidly continuing to spread.
Notable facts about Hepatitis A:
- There was a 60% hospitalization rate for reported cases in 2017
- The USA has a low adult vaccination coverage (only about 19.4% for even one dose!)
- There are outbreaks in (28) states currently, in the highest risk groups, but the general public and anyone living in an outbreak state could still be affected by Hepatitis A if they have not been vaccinated.
- Hepatitis A can also be spread by food-borne contamination