On Friday, November 3, NACCHO hosted a webinar to highlight lessons learned and updates from jurisdictions experiencing outbreaks of hepatitis A virus.
Since November 2016, in California alone, more than 600 people have been infected with hepatitis A, 395 people have been hospitalized, and 19 have died in outbreaks related to inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Recently, Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency allowing the California Department of Public Health to expedite the procurement of the hepatitis A vaccine and allowing EMTs to administer the vaccine, outside of a clinical setting, to high-risk individuals – which include people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs.
In addition, several other cities and counties in the US are in the midst of similar outbreaks. During this webinar, you will hear outbreak response updates from three different cities. Representatives from San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the Detroit Health Department will share their local response to this unique outbreak, lessons learned, and how your health department can prepare.
To learn more, watch the webinar recording and view the slides.