Chief sanitary inspector of Ivano-Frankivsk region Ruslan Savchuk denied information about an outbreak of the disease in the region, which was reported by a number of mass media the day before. According to him, all seven cases of hospitalization were recorded from October 13 to November 1, and not in one day.
The sanitary inspector assured that the situation is under control and the spread of the disease is being monitored. He urged not to spread panic data that does not correspond to the real situation.
Outbreak of hepatitis A in Vinnytsia region
On October 24, the Ministry of Health reported an outbreak of hepatitis A in the Vinnytsia region, schoolchildren have already been transferred to online education. Four different sources of infection that could have led to the outbreak of the disease are initially considered. Each of the factors is worked out by parallel teams, and doctors additionally interview patients with a confirmed diagnosis and clarify connections that indicate a common source of infection. Currently, 144 patients with hepatitis A remain in the hospitals of the Vinnytsia region.
What is hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a viral disease that affects the liver and can have both a mild and severe course, the Ministry of Health reminded. The hepatitis A virus is transmitted by consuming contaminated food or water. The incubation period of viral hepatitis A usually lasts 14-28 days. Among the most common symptoms: weakness, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice.
Hepatitis A is also called Botkinʼs disease. Vaccination against it in Ukraine is not included in the calendar of routine vaccinations (unlike Israel, China or the USA). But we have registered two inactivated vaccines against hepatitis A, which are approved for use in children from one year of age.