The Ministry of Health is investigating active hepatitis A outbreaks in Desamparados, Hatillo and Hospital, three heavily populated areas of San José. Health teams are looking for people with symptoms, investigating possible links between cases and taking steps to limit further infections. The ministry has not disclosed how many cases are connected to the current outbreaks.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that affects the liver. It usually spreads when a person consumes contaminated food or water or has direct contact with someone carrying the virus. The virus can also spread when it gets onto a person’s hands and later enters the mouth. This makes careful handwashing particularly important after using the bathroom and before preparing or eating food.
Symptoms do not always appear immediately. The average incubation period, meaning the time between exposure and the start of symptoms, is 14 to 28 days. Young children may have mild symptoms or none at all. Teenagers and adults are more likely to become noticeably ill.
Common warning signs include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. More distinctive symptoms can include dark urine, pale-colored stools and yellowing of the skin or eyes, a condition known as jaundice. The Health Ministry asked people to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before preparing, handling or eating food. Bathrooms, sinks and frequently touched surfaces should also be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
Food should be washed properly before it is eaten or used in cooking. Anyone experiencing symptoms that could be related to hepatitis A should avoid preparing food for other people. You should also avoid sharing eating utensils and personal items and homes with a sick family member should pay particular attention with cleaning and handwashing.
Anyone who develops fever, stomach pain, dark urine or yellow skin or eyes should get ahold of their nearest public or private health center. The ministry has said it continues to monitor reported hepatitis A cases across Costa Rica so it can identify groups of infections and respond before they spread further.
Earlier this month, authorities reported 14 hepatitis A cases connected to an outbreak in Aserrí and San Juan de Dios de Desamparados. No hospitalizations or deaths had been reported in that group and officials have not publicly explained whether all the outbreaks now under investigation are connected.
