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Cases of Hepatitis A increasing across the Omaha metro

California combats deadly hepatitis A outbreak
Posted at 12:15 PM, Nov 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-08 13:15:38-05

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Douglas County Health Department, and the Three Rivers Public Health Department are investigating a cluster of Hepatitis A cases in the Omaha metro area recently.

Five cases of the virus have been reported over just the last three weeks, with symptoms occurring between October 15 and November 5.

Symptoms to watch out for include:

- Fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and joint pain.
- Severe stomach pains and diarrhea (mainly in children)
- Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements)

The Department of Health and Human Services says the virus is transmitted primarily by the fecal-oral route by either person-to-person contact or ingestion of contaminated food or water.

Those diagnosed with Hepatitis A or experiencing symptoms after exposure should not work or prepare food for one week after symptoms begin until symptoms are gone for over 24 hours. Infections can occur in people of all ages. No specific treatment for Hepatitis A is known.

To report cases of Hepatitis A, those in Douglas County should call 402-444-7214. Saunders, Dodge, and Washington Counties should call 402-727-5396. For other counties, click here to find your contact information. For any additional questions, contact Blake Hendrickson at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services at 402-471-6450.