UPDATE: Hepatitis A numbers slowly starting to drop

(WSAZ)
Published: Jun. 13, 2018 at 6:56 PM EDT
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UPDATE 7/16/18 @ 6:45 p.m.

In a continuing investigation on the hepatitis A outbreak in our region, WSAZ continues to frequently check the numbers of cases in our region.

Since April, Kentucky health officials have reported more than 600 additional cases of hepatitis A, bringing the total number of cases to more than 1,000. But while the numbers are the highest in the nation, recent data shows the number of cases reported week-to-week is dropping off -- with weekly numbers the lowest since April.

It's a similar trend in West Virginia with state data showing the fewest cases reported since early March with just one case reported the week of July 8. At the highest point in the outbreak, 60 to 70 cases a week were being reported in late May through June.

Ohio still has the fewest in our region with 137 cases reported since January. Week-to-week data was not readily available.

Counties in our region that have seen the worst appear to be in their own cluster.

Boyd, Carter, and Greenup counties have seen the most cases in our eastern Kentucky region. Western and central West Virginia counties have been the hardest hit in the Mountain State, while Lawrence and Scioto counties are the only counties in our part of southern Ohio to report cases.

Health officials maintain the best way to protect yourself from the virus is to get the vaccine. Thorough handwashing also is encouraged after going to the restroom.


ORIGINAL STORY 6/13/18

At the end of April, WSAZ investigated the rising number of hepatitis A cases, especially when it came to food service workers being diagnosed.

In the month and a half since that story aired, several cases involving food service workers have been released. The numbers have declined, though, in the last couple of weeks.

WSAZ decided to look in to see if that was a trend across the board. The short answer? It's not.

On April 30, Kentucky had reported 400 hep A cases since November 2017. As of June 13, the number of cases has jumped to around 760. Of the counties in our region seeing the biggest hit, Boyd County is at the top with 94 cases reported. The county's incident rate per 100,000 population is also the highest in the state. Carter and Greenup counties round out the top three.

In West Virginia, numbers are lower, but still significant. From the first investigation to our most recent one, cases jumped more than 100 from 82 to 195 statewide, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources. Kanawha and Putnam counties have seen the largest impact, and local health officials say they are not seeing any trends of it slowing down.

Ohio has had the fewest cases in the region. A month and a half ago, there were about 30 cases when WSAZ spoke to health officials. On Wednesday, they confirmed close to 90.

Lawrence County has seen 11, while Scioto has reported two. Ohio health officials say the cases they have seen are largely attributable to outbreaks in states bordering Ohio, primarily Michigan and Kentucky. Ohio is not considered to have an outbreak because that requires at least two cases to be linked to a common exposure source.

Deaths have also been reported. At the end of May, Kanawha-Charleston Health officials reported a death related to the virus. At least six deaths in Kentucky have been connected back to the virus, but that doesn't mean getting hepatitis A is a death sentence.

"It's just as simple as whenever you have the flu and you have other health conditions such as asthma or heart disease," said Erin Crace, a nurse supervisor at the Ashland-Boyd County Health Department. With those preexisting conditions, your body, your organs are already having a hard time fighting off a infection or disease, and so hepatitis A itself isn't killing them, it's just contributing."

Crace says she thinks the reason behind the thought that maybe the outbreak is dying down is because not as many cases, primarily food service worker related, are being found and reported.

"I think it is important for people to realize that, and I think people are realizing, but I think it's hard whenever they don't hear a news release every time a person is diagnosed that may not be a food service worker, they may be out in the community working," Crace said.

Crace adds the safest way to avoid attracting the virus is to wash your hands and get vaccinated.