July 26, 2005
KNews
Kristi L. Nelson
With 16 cases confirmed in the past month, health officials were cited as announcing Tuesday that a “community-wide outbreak” of hepatitis A in Campbell County is requiring “intense efforts” to stop the spread.
Dr. Paul Erwin, director of the East Tennessee Regional Health Office, was cited as saying the confirmation of “several” cases in children is particularly concerning, and that officials haven’t identified a source for the outbreak.
The story says that on Thursday the Campbell County Health Department and ETHRO will give hepatitis A vaccinations to all workers and children 2 and older in Campbell County’s six day-care centers.
Erwin was further cited as saying that beginning Friday, parents can bring children ages 2-5 to the Campbell County Health Department to receive the vaccine, which consists of two shots given six months apart, and that health officials are focusing on younger children because they’re less likely to show symptoms when infected.
Doctors also can provide the vaccine, which is only known to be effective if someone hasn’t already been infected.
Those who have already been exposed to the virus through contact with infected people can receive immune serum globulin (IsG) from the health department. The IsG shot offers some protection if given within 14 days.