(CNN) — Los Angeles County is facing a community-wide outbreak of the contagious virus hepatitis A, citing a sustained increase in clinical cases and elevated virus levels detected in wastewater testing.
The county reported on May 5 that there have been 29 confirmed cases of hepatitis A this year. That number is out of a total 165 documented cases since the start of 2024, which is three times the total number of cases reported in 2023. At least seven people have died during this outbreak, according to local media.
What is hepatitis A? What symptoms does it cause? How is it diagnosed and treated? Who are the individuals most vulnerable to severe outcomes? Who should be vaccinated against the disease? And what other steps can people take to reduce their chance of contracting it?…