SC DHEC officials declares Hepatitis A as statewide outbreak
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control declared a statewide outbreak of Hepatitis A, due to the increasing number of cases in Aiken County and other parts in SC.
According to DHEC, SC averaged 19 reported cases during the past 10 years. More than four times that amount has been reported in the past seven months. Between Nov. 1, 2018, and May 10, 2019, there have been 86 reported cases of hepatitis A in South Carolina, leading to 59 hospitalizations and one death.
Certain adults that may be at a higher risk for hepatitis A are:
- People who use injection or non-injection drugs
- People who are homeless
- People who are or recently were incarcerated
- Men who have sex with men
- People with chronic liver disease like cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C
- People who are traveling to countries where hepatitis A is common
- People with chronic liver disease like cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C as they have an increased risk of complications if infected with hepatitis A
DHEC will be offering no-cost Hepatitis A vaccines to individuals who are drug users, homeless, men who have sex with men or those who have a history of incarceration. Residents can schedule an appointment for a vaccination at their local health department by calling 855-472-3432 or visiting www.scdhec.gov/health
