San Diego County health officials on Tuesday tallied an additional death related to the county's ongoing hepatitis A outbreak, increasing the total number of deaths to 16.
The County of San Diego's Health and Human Services Agency also reported 421 cases associated with the outbreak, marking a 23-case increase from the week prior. The outbreak has resulted in 292 hospitalizations.
The majority of individuals sickened in the outbreak, which began in November 2016, have either been homeless, illicit drug users or both. The investigation into the source of the outbreak is ongoing. On Sept. 1, county health officials declared the outbreak a public health emergency.
Symptoms of hepatitis A infection include abdominal pain, low-grade fever, nausea, fatigue and jaundice. The virus is highly transmissible and is most often spread via contact with fecal matter from an infected individual, which can contaminate food and water.
To learn more about hepatitis A, click here.
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