Note: This webpage is no longer current and is for historical purposes only. See Hepatitis A for the latest information.

2017 Hepatitis A Outbreak

See below, or click the following links to learn more about:

Updates

County of San Diego healthcare providers passing out vaccines during a Hepatitis A vaccine event.

The County of San Diego declared that the hepatitis A outbreak officially ended. It has been 100 days (two incubation cycles) since the onset of illness of the last hepatitis A outbreak-associated case. 

  • October 31, 2018: A total of 209,677 hepatitis A vaccinations had been given via healthcare providers and County vaccination events.
  • January 23, 2018: Local health emergency ended.
  • September 1, 2017: The County declared a local health emergency.
  • March 2017: Hepatitis A outbreak was first identified.  Hepatitis vaccine events began.

Response Efforts

Vaccination:

  • The hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for persons experiencing homelessness, users of illicit drugs, staff that work in homeless services and substance use treatment settings, public safety and emergency workers, healthcare workers, and sanitation workers.
    • County public health and community healthcare partners conducted targeted vaccination efforts.
    • Nurses, homeless outreach workers, and law enforcement gave vaccinations to at-risk individuals where they were residing.
  • Hepatitis A Outbreak Cases by Zip Code: Please note that cases are listed in the jurisdictions (counties) where they live. Also, table and map below do not include all reported hepatitis A cases in the county; only those that are local-outbreak-related. Data are provisional and subject to change.
Hepatitis A hygiene kit which included hand sanitizer, cleansing wipes, bottled water, an informational flyer, and a waste bag.

Hygiene Kits:

  • The County distributed hygiene kits which contained hand sanitizer, cleansing wipes, bottled water, an informational flyer, and a waste bag.
  • 11,993 kits were distributed through October 31, 2018.

Education:

  • The County, along with Live Well San Diego partners, and other community organizations took several steps to educate the community about the hepatitis A virus. These included:
    • A prevention outreach campaign,
    • Numerous presentations by Health and Human Services Agency staff to local community partners which provided information on how to prevent getting and spreading the hepatitis A virus,
    • A developed and maintained hepatitis A outbreak webpage,
    • A variety of printed materials, including flyers, fact sheets, posters, and disinfection and other guidelines,
    • News stories and articles for County News Center, County Television Network, and print and electronic media,
    • Working with 2-1-1 San Diego to help provide the public with hepatitis A virus information and resources,
    • Foot Teams, consisting of public health nurses and other local healthcare providers, went out into the community to provide vaccines to at-risk persons, and
    • Issuing several health alerts to local healthcare providers and public safety personnel through the California Health Alert Network (CAHAN) San Diego.

Communications

County of San Diego

County News Center Stories

California Health Alert Network (CAHAN) San Diego Communications

California Department of Public Health Communications