SAN JOSE, Oct. 3 (EP/PL) – Costa Rican health authorities today warned of an increase in hepatitis A cases, with the number of laboratory-confirmed infections reaching 1,435 as of September this year.
Figures from the Ministry of Health show that only 118 cases were diagnosed in 2022, an increase of 1,317 cases compared with the previous year. In 2019, 1,584 infections were also reported.
The epidemiological report for week 39 highlights that the province of San José reported 960 cases, the central provinces of Alajuela and Heredia confirmed 167 and 94 notifications respectively, while the western province of Puntarenas had the lowest number of cases provinces.
It details the institutions that investigate confirmed cases and their contacts and sets out the necessary recommendations and hygiene measures to avoid contagion and protect the health of the population.
They urge people to wash their hands and maintain hygienic practices when preparing food; in addition, if you develop fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, general malaise, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), and/or dark urine, etc. symptoms, please go to the nearest health center. (biliuria).
Likewise, parents who have minor children attending school should not send them to education centers if they are sick to avoid spreading the virus to other children or teenagers.
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that causes inflammation of the liver and affects its function.
It can be spread by ingesting contaminated food or water, or by direct contact with infected people or objects. Mild forms of hepatitis A do not require treatment, and most people infected make a full recovery without permanent damage to the liver.