ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay area has been hit especially hard by hepatitis A cases this year.
The region has led the state this year with 466 new hepatitis A cases in Pasco County, 369 in Pinellas County and 145 in Hillsborough.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that Pinellas health officials were the first in Florida to deploy “foot teams” into areas where people at risk for hepatitis A tend to gather. They’ve administered 789 vaccines since May. Now, other counties are undertaking similar efforts.
Since January 2018, Florida has recorded 3,395 cases of hepatitis A. The virus affects the liver and spreads through contaminated feces. People pass it along by eating or drinking tainted food or water, or through sex.
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