United Way of Martin County holds community conversations quarterly at First United Church. On Wednesday, health officials provided an update that showed no change in the number of hepatitis A cases. For the second straight week, Martin County is holding steady at 32 hepatits A cases, including four deaths. But, just as in other parts of Florida, officials expect more people will contract the highly contagious liver infection. “We looked not only at the local situation but the state situation and the national situation to help the community understand that this is not happening just in Martin County,” said Renay Rouse of the Florida Department of Health. “This is happening across the state and there are things people should be doing to protect themselves from hepatitis A.”The event focused on prevention and vaccination, offering and administering free on-site immunizations. Free shots are also available at the health department, as well at pharmacies and clinics in the county.“Since April there’s been about 10,000 vaccines distributed,” Rouse said. “The health department has done more than 2,600 of those, but we still have a little ways to go. The health department is offering the vaccination for free to uninsured, underinsured and at-risk. They can come to the health department Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and get the hepatitis A vaccine.” This is the second time health department officials presented an update at this gathering. The first time was in May, at the beginning of the outbreak. The overriding message is still the same: the best prevention against hepatitis A is to get vaccinated.
STUART, Fla. —
United Way of Martin County holds community conversations quarterly at First United Church. On Wednesday, health officials provided an update that showed no change in the number of hepatitis A cases.
For the second straight week, Martin County is holding steady at 32 hepatits A cases, including four deaths. But, just as in other parts of Florida, officials expect more people will contract the highly contagious liver infection.
“We looked not only at the local situation but the state situation and the national situation to help the community understand that this is not happening just in Martin County,” said Renay Rouse of the Florida Department of Health. “This is happening across the state and there are things people should be doing to protect themselves from hepatitis A.”
The event focused on prevention and vaccination, offering and administering free on-site immunizations. Free shots are also available at the health department, as well at pharmacies and clinics in the county.
“Since April there’s been about 10,000 vaccines distributed,” Rouse said. “The health department has done more than 2,600 of those, but we still have a little ways to go. The health department is offering the vaccination for free to uninsured, underinsured and at-risk. They can come to the health department Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and get the hepatitis A vaccine.”
This is the second time health department officials presented an update at this gathering. The first time was in May, at the beginning of the outbreak.
The overriding message is still the same: the best prevention against hepatitis A is to get vaccinated.
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