In the last two weeks there were nine A-hepatitis infection cases in Latvia. This is significantly above the projected infections for this period. All A-hepatitis infection cases are related to trips to other countries.
There are six confirmed A-hepatitis cases after visiting Belarus. Other infection cases are related to trips to Morocco, Egypt and Zanzibar.
Epidemiologists carefully investigates each individual case of A-hepatitis and organises necessary anti-pandemic measures to reduce the risk of the infection spreading, as reported by the Disease Prevention and Control Centre (SPKC).
Considering there are six A-hepatitis infection cases in Latvia related to visits to Belarus, it is possible the epidemiological situation in Latvia’s neighbouring country has worsened. SPKC recommends people who are not vaccinated for A-hepatitis to refrain from visiting Belarus. If it is not possible to cancel the trip, SPKC recommends following simple precautions: wash or disinfect hands, avoid uncooked foods or hand-packaged products (products offered at catering establishments), avoid drinking tap water and avoid swimming pools.
SPKC also recommends turning to a doctor and following precautions to minimise the risk of infecting others within 50 days of returning from Belarus. 50 days is the maximum infection incubation period to uncover possible infection symptoms.
Currently A-hepatitis is a rare disease in Latvia. In the past five years there were 22 cases found on average – between 13 and 37 cases a year. Most often people become infected on trips to foreign countries. As hygiene measures improved, the circulation of A-hepatitis circulation was effectively ceased in Latvia. However, it is because of this reason a significant portion of Latvia’s population do not have immunity for A-hepatitis. The last biggest A-hepatitis outbreak in Latvia was in 2008/2009. It proved that the infection can affect thousands of people (at the time A-hepatitis was found in 5 107 people and there were reports of 26 deaths).
The most effective measure against A-hepatitis is vaccination. To ensure a person forms lasting immunity against A-hepatitis, it is necessary to receive two vaccine doses with an interval between 6 and 12 months. Immunity forms within 2 to 4 weeks after the first jab. A combined vaccine for A and B hepatitis can provide protection against both infections, but in this case the vaccination course consists of three doses.
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