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More than 20 people became infected with hepatitis A in an outbreak in a German community.
There are 23 infections in the community of Dummerstorf in the Rostock district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Three more test results are still pending. Officials believe the virus was spread through food.
Of those affected, 21 live in and around the community and two in neighboring districts. Four people had to be treated in the hospital. More than 100 potential contact persons were identified and contacted by the health department.
Link to the bakery staff
The investigations by the health department and the food control authorities are focused on the employees of a bakery branch in the region, which was not named by officials but was temporarily closed.
Drinking water samples were taken and excluded as a route of infection. Vaccinations are offered.
The Rostock district health department reported twelve confirmed infections and one suspected case for the first time at the beginning of November. The sick include children and adults.
Hepatitis A is spread when someone ingests the virus through close contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or drink. The incubation period is usually 14 to 28 days, but it can take up to 50 days for symptoms to develop. Symptoms can last up to two months and include tiredness, nausea, stomach pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Most people do not have a long-term illness.
The best way to prevent this is to get vaccinated, but following general hygiene rules such as hand washing, especially after using the toilet and before handling food, can protect against transmission.
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