CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Six officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began working this week in West Virginia to assist state officials with their response to the Hepatitis A outbreak.
The federal officials will provide epidemiological support with data management, data quality and case investigation strategies. According to state Chief Health Officer Dr. Rahul Gupta, the effort will help state health employees understand ways to improve addressing the epidemic.
“They will help us with that data and looking at quality issues,” he said. “They have really world-class experts that can help us do that, and we’re really happy to have them here and host them.”
Since Jan. 7, 975 cases of Hepatitis A have been identified in West Virginia with 513 cases reported in Kanawha County.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A include yellowing of the skin and eyes, fatigue, abdominal pain, dark urine, joint pain, clay-colored bowel movements, lack of appetite, sudden nausea or vomiting and intense itching. The disease is more common in the homeless population, as well as with men who have sex with other men and recently incarcerated individuals.
Gupta said there has been a decline in cases.
“We believe that we are standing to make headway significantly,” Gupta said. “We’ve also distributed around 18,000 doses or so. I think there is a turn we are making now, but I think it is very critical at this point that we make sure all the ‘I’s’ are dotted and ‘T’s’ are crossed in order to make sure we get this done.”
The Bureau for Public Health has spent more than $769,000 on prevention efforts.
Gupta said the CDC officials will be in West Virginia for two to four weeks.