Starting in late 2016, communities across the United States began reporting a surge in cases of hepatitis A—with more than 22,000 cases reported nationwide by July 2019. While parts of the country continue to battle this outbreak, Utah declared its outbreak over in February 2019 (after nearly 300 cases), thanks in part to innovative approaches used by the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD). About 200 of Utah’s cases occurred in that county, and most of those cases were among persons who were experiencing homelessness or using illicit drugs, making it more challenging to provide treatment.
Read more on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Field Notes website here.
