California has declared a state of emergency because of an outbreak of hepatitis A.

Hepatitis A outbreak in California has already claimed 18 lives

Californian Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency on Friday to combat an outbreak of hepatitis A in San Diego, which has already claimed 18 casualties. The politician said that the government-sponsored supply of vaccines was insufficient. His proclamation allows the state to buy the vaccines directly from manufacturers and then distribute them.

The proclamation of the state of emergency allows authorities to respond quickly to the current threat in San Diego. The state will order the vaccines Monday or Tuesday, so the much needed vaccines will be available promptly. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the state of California has issued 81,000 federally funded vaccine doses. More vaccines have been purchased, but the supply has been insufficient so far, say the experts. The emergency declaration now allows the health department to buy more vaccine doses and distribute them to vulnerable people.

Hepatitis A is a disease normally transmitted by contaminated food. In California, however, is currently spreading a form of hepatitis A, which is transmitted from person to person. (Image: bluebay2014 - fotolia)

A vaccine is the most effective antidote

Vaccination of people at risk for hepatitis A is the most effective way to prevent the spread of hepatitis A infections, said the director of the California Department of Public Health. Karen Smith in a press release.

Drug addicts and homeless people become particularly ill

In California, there is currently the largest single outbreak of hepatitis A in the United States, which is transmitted from person to person, rather than contaminated food as usual. Most sufferers are homeless or drug users, say the experts.

No deaths outside of San Diego County

There were 576 cases of hepatitis A in California. 490 of these illnesses occurred in San Diego County. There were also 71 cases in Santa Cruz County and eight in Los Angeles County. A total of 386 people were hospitalized. In San Diego, the number of people admitted was 342, another 33 people were hospitalized in Santa Cruz and six in Los Angeles. No deaths were reported outside San Diego County.

Countermeasures must be urgently carried out

US Representative Darrell Issa on Friday called on the federal government to provide emergency funding to stop the spread of hepatitis A. We can not wait until more communities are hit before important countermeasures are taken, say the experts.

Eruption began in March in San Diego County

San Diego County reported a March outbreak, which seemed related to a growing homeless population. The Santa Cruz district reported the first cases of hepatitis A. San Diego and Los Angeles districts also reported local health emergencies in September.

How is hepatitis A normally transmitted??

Hepatitis A is usually transmitted through contaminated food. The only outbreak in the United States in the last 20 years, greater than the outbreak in California, occurred in 2003 in Pennsylvania. At that time, more than 900 people were infected after eating contaminated spring onions in a restaurant.

Vaccination and hand washing can protect against hepatitis A.

However, the outbreak in California was caused by strains of the genetic subtype 1B, which is rare in the United States and actually occurs more frequently in the Mediterranean and South Africa. The pathogen spreads through contact with fecal matter and therefore people with inadequate access to sanitation are at increased risk. In addition to a vaccine is recommended for frequent hand washing. In San Diego, dozens of hand washing stations have been installed in recent weeks. In addition, the areas frequented by the homeless have been carefully cleaned. (As)