Hepatitis A Total Nears 3,400 Cases

Just days before the end of 2019, Florida had received reports of nearly 3,400 hepatitis A cases during the year. 

The 3,395 cases reported as of Saturday included 63 newly reported cases during the prior week.

As an indication of the extent of the outbreak in 2019, Florida totaled 1,175 reported cases of hepatitis A in the five previous years combined --- with 548 of those cases in 2018, according to state Department of Health data.

Hepatitis A can cause liver damage and is spread through such things as fecal matter. That can include transmission by people not properly washing their hands after going to the bathroom and contaminating food or drinks.

Health officials have urged people to get vaccinated against the disease.

As of Saturday, Pasco County continued to have the most cases in the state in 2019, with 414. It was followed by Pinellas County, with 377 cases; Volusia County, with 310 cases; Orange County, with 196 cases; Brevard County, with 168 cases; Hillsborough County, with 167 cases; Lake County, with 158 cases; Marion County, with 150 cases; Manatee County, with 138 cases; Sarasota County, with 118 cases; Hernando County, with 117 cases; Citrus County, with 115 cases; and Lee County, with 105 cases.

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