In an update on the hepatitis A outbreak in the Czech Republic, The State Health Institute (SZÚ) has reported 1,348 cases of hepatitis A, but there are probably more infected.
15 people have died from the disease this year, while there were two deaths last year.
The last time the institute recorded a similarly increased incidence of the infection was in the late 1990s.
The most cases have been recorded in Prague (436), Central Bohemia (202) and the Moravian-Silesian Region (118).
The disease is related to poor hygiene. "It is the biggest problem in young children, in socially excluded communities, but also in homeless people, in hostels and the like," chief hygienist Barbora Macková said.
According to her, the disease often has no symptoms in children, but they can infect family or classmates. "Current data in the Czech Republic shows that it is also spreading in the population of adolescents and adults, in people with risky behavior, especially drug addicts, and in homeless people," she added. According to her, the higher number of deaths is related to the fact that this population often has chronic liver disease, which is a significant complication for the course of the disease.