CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Five cases of Hepatitis A have been confirmed in Kanawha and Putnam counties, adding to a growing list of cases reported in West Virginia and nationwide.
According to the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, one worker at five different establishments was identified with the disease. The employees worked at:
— McDonald’s at 64 Patrick St. in Charleston;
— Pizza Hut at 603 Third St. in Saint Albans;
— Paul’s Poplar Park Drive Inn at 9850 Teays Valley Road in Scott Depot;
— Sakura at 230 Nitro Place in Cross Lanes; and
— Sam’s Club at 2500 Mountaineer Blvd. in South Charleston.
Hepatitis A is a liver infection spread through contaminated food or infected people not washing their hands. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin and eyes, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, clay-colored bowel movements, dark urine and joint pain.
High-risk individuals include food service workers and people who use drugs.
John Law, the public information officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said health officials are seeing between 15 and 20 new Hepatitis A cases a week.
“Many people may have it and not even know that they have it,” he said. “These are cases where people have gone to a health care provider and been tested, and we’ve gotten that information.”
According to Law, the spread of Hepatitis A is because of people not being vaccinated and not washing their hands after using the bathroom.
“This is not something that the restaurants are doing,” he said. “People who work at restaurants are getting this virus, just like they may get any other virus.”
Law said vaccinations are available at many local pharmacies as well as the health department’s Lee Street office. He added most insurers will cover the related cost to be vaccinated, but those individuals determined to be in “high-risk groups” may get the vaccination for free.