It’s good to stay up-to-date on your shots, but there’s no clear and present danger from hepatitis A in Rochester, for now.
In late June, the Minnesota Department of Health advised state residents to make sure they were vaccinated for hepatitis A, a liver infection caused by the transmission of the virus, usually through contaminated food. Frequent hand-washing and vaccination are the main preventative measures for hepatitis A.
However, the 11 cases that popped up in the early summer (early June) are largely clustered in east-central Minnesota, according to the MDH.
Furthermore, those cases were prevalent among those in unstable environments, or with unsafe habits, such as injection drug users, or people with unstable housing or no homes, or men who have sex with men.
Hepatitis A spreads when a person ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks contaminated by stool from an infected person. Hepatitis A can also spread from close, personal contact with an infected person.
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The currently known cases are unlikely to spread to populations that are not already at risk, according to the MDH.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes), fever, and vomiting or diarrhea. Contact your healthcare provider if you have these or other symptoms, like stomach pain or tiredness.
Not vaccinated? Search for a free or low-cost clinic at health.state.mn.us/uuavsearch .
