NJ Hepatitis A Outbreak Expands; 7 Now Dead

NEW JERSEY – The deadly outbreak of hepatitis A has expanded, infecting 576 people in New Jersey and hitting many counties hard after popping up in some unexpected places – including a supermarket, a Dunkin' Donuts, a golf club and a food store. One more person has died.

Since the outbreak began last year, seven people have died, at least 448 people have been hospitalized and 576 cases have been reported, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.

The number of cases has increased by 7 percent since early November, when 332 people were hospitalized, 533 cases were reported and six deaths were reported.

The disease has been identified in 21 New Jersey counties (see list, locations and numbers of cases below).

The 576 cases have been detected since the outbreak began a year ago – a sharp, 800 percent increase over last year.

The New Jersey Department of Health says the hepatitis A cases have been observed in those without "risk factors:" homelessness, drug use, incarceration and "men who have sex with men."

In November, the New Jersey Department of Health, along with the Somerset County Department of Health and Wakefern Corporation, warned shoppers of the confirmed case of hepatitis A at ShopRite at 1 S. Davenport St. in Somerville. Read more: Somerset County ShopRite Worker Was Infected With Hepatitis A

The DOH warned people about a confirmed case of hepatitis A in North Jersey in October. The case involves a food handler employed at a food store who worked while he or she was potentially infectious between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5, according to a NJDOH release. Read more: Hepatitis A Case At North Jersey Food Store: Officials

In June, a worker at a Dunkin' Donuts in Turnersville was diagnosed with hepatitis A, the Gloucester County Health Department announced. Read more: Case Of Hepatitis A At South Jersey Dunkin' Donuts: Officials

Twenty-three people were infected with hepatitis A after a Mendham golf club employee came to work sick, New Jersey Department of Health Officials said. Read more: 23 Sickened In Hepatitis A Outbreak At Mendham Twp. Golf Club

Two men who say they were sickened during the hepatitis A outbreak at the golf club are suing the resort for a combined $9 million. Read more: $9M Lawsuit Filed Against Mendham Golf Club After Hep A Outbreak

Campers at a North Jersey summer camp also might have been exposed to hepatitis A, the Sussex County Department of Health warned. Read more: Campers At North Jersey Camp Exposed To Hepatitis A

Also, last year, a worker at a Dunkin' Donuts in Ocean City was diagnosed with hepatitis A, the Cape May County Health Department and New Jersey Department of Health announced. Read more: Hepatitis A Notice Involving Ocean City Dunkin' Donuts: Officials

And a letter was recently sent home to parents of more than 1,300 students at Nottingham High School-North in Hamilton Township in Mercer County informing them of the potential exposure of hepatitis A, according to NJ101.5.

Here is where the disease has been diagnosed, along with the number of cases:

• ATLANTIC 22
• BERGEN 25
• BURLINGTON 49
• CAMDEN 148
• CAPE MAY 6
• CUMBERLAND 25
• ESSEX 17
• GLOUCESTER 66
• HUDSON 9
• HUNTERDON 3
• MERCER 55
• MIDDLESEX 4
• MONMOUTH 10
• MORRIS 30
• OCEAN 15
• PASSAIC 46
• SALEM 25
• SOMERSET 10
• SUSSEX 4
• UNION 5
• WARREN 2

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also been investigating the outbreak that has hit 30 states and killed 298 people.

In New Jersey, the state Department of Health has supplied hundreds of vaccines to several health departments to immunize uninsured or underinsured individuals at risk of the liver disease, according to a department release.

The virus is typically transmitted from person-to-person when it is ingested from objects, food or drinks contaminated by a stool from an infected person, according to the release.

This can happen when infected people do not wash their hands properly after using the bathroom and then touch food or items that are shared with others.

Hepatitis A can also spread from close personal contact with an infected person, such as through sex or caring for someone who is ill, according to the release.

Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice, that usually resolve within 2 months of infection; most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection, according to the CDC.

For more information about hepatitis A, visit https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/hepatitisa.shtml or https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/index.htm

Vaccinations being offered at the several locations are only for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. Individuals with insurance should go to their primary care physician.