Dozens of hepatitis A cases appear in Slovakia

Category: EU News I Published: 14 October 2014 I Written by Czech News Agency

Roma community among those hit hardest by local epidemic in country’s southern districts 

Bratislava, Oct. 14 (ČTK) — Sanitary authorities registered dozens of cases of the infectious A type hepatitis in southern Slovakia over the past few weeks, and due to the local epidemic they ordered the suspension of activity at some schools and vaccination in the afflicted localities, the health authority in Nitra said today.

The hepatitis mainly spread in the districts Zlaté Moravce and Levice, afflicting all age groups, the office said.

In Zlaté Moravce, most of the cases were confirmed with the local Romas and the people living in very poor sanitary conditions.

As many as 14 infected persons lived at the same address in the village of Čaradice, without water and toilets. The patients were sent to an infection clinic.

“The number of ill is rising,” the head of the teaching hospital in Nitra, Jozef Valocký, is quoted as saying.

So far, at least 50 people have contracted the hepatitis.

In the afflicted localities, the sanitary officers have ordered the vaccination of about 1,000 people as well as preventative vaccination of the children living in poor sanitary conditions.

In three municipalities, the instruction was interrupted.