Hepatitis A outbreak in Portugal: 25 cases in the Algarve region since August
A representative from the Algarve Department of Health in southern Portugal report in an update on the hepatitis A outbreak in the region- “An outbreak of hepatitis A is still active in the Algarve region, with a total of 25 cases to date, with the first case reported on August 15, 2024 and the most recent on November 26.”
The outbreak mainly affected children and young people, with 16 cases reported, and also nine adults, officials note.
Those affected are residents of three nuclei in the municipality of Faro and one in the municipality of Olhão, “in homes with precarious hygienic and sanitary conditions, which favors the transmission of this type of disease,” explained the regional health authority.
According to the health authority, “outside this community, but epidemiologically linked to this outbreak, there has been one case in the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, where the child was temporarily staying with the family, and six in the region of Alentejo.
All identified cases were symptomatic, with fever, jaundice, acholia, abdominal pain, fatigue, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, among others.
According to the Algarve regional health delegate, “an epidemiological investigation was carried out, including an environmental one, which was not conclusive as to the origin of the outbreak.”
The Algarve regional health delegate highlighted “the importance of implementing measures to prevent transmission and reinforce vaccination among people at higher risk of exposure.”
In addition, The Public Health Unit of Baixo Alentejo reported on November 29 that there is an active outbreak of hepatitis A, originating in the Algarve, with six cases confirmed in Bairro das Pedreiras, in Beja.
In a statement, the Health Unit of Baixo Alentejo reported that, as a measure to prevent and mitigate the transmission of the disease, a community vaccination campaign was carried out in Bairro das Pedreiras from October 22 to 25.
153 children up to 18 years of age were vaccinated; the vaccination was aimed at the population involved in this outbreak and included awareness-raising actions and promotion of preventive measures against the transmission of the disease.
According to USP, the first case of hepatitis A in Baixo Alentejo was recorded on September 18 and the last, associated with the outbreak in Bairro das Pedreiras, began to show symptoms more than a month ago.