State Health Officials Increase Efforts to Stop Hep A Spread

West Virginia health leaders are working with local officials in Kanawha and Putnam counties on the Hepatitis A outbreak. The DHHR confirmed 72 cases of Hepatitis A associated with the national outbreak in Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam, Wayne and Wyoming counties. Of those confirmed cases, 64 have occurred in Kanawha (42) and Putnam (22) counties. They’re waiting on lab confirmation of other cases. The state epidemiologist is embedded at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department to work on the outbreak, and new recommendations are going to area restaurants about enforcing hygiene steps for food handling.