One more death and additional new cases were reported Tuesday as a result of the hepatitis A outbreak in the San Diego County region, prompting the Board of Supervisors to keep a public health emergency declaration in place.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer, said the death toll has climbed to 17, with 17 additional cases and 10 more hospitalizations this week.
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A total of 461 cases have been confirmed in the region, in what has been described as the largest outbreak of the virus in decades. The outbreak began last November but was not identified until March. The youngest person to be infected was a 5-year-old who had not been previously vaccinated, Wooten said.
The health crisis has primarily hit the homeless population, accounting for 232 cases. About 154 of those were illicit drug users, she said.
San Diego City Council President Myrtle Cole issued the following statement regarding the ongoing hepatitis A outbreak:
Our city is currently facing a deadly outbreak of Hepatitis A that is compounded by our rapidly growing homeless population. This is why we believe that the Mayor and City Council should work together immediately to develop a ballot measure that is focused only on a long term funding source to prevent and respond to homelessness and affordable housing.
In the interim, we suggest that the Mayor redirect the $5 million previously earmarked for a special election to accelerate the citywide efforts to combat homelessness.
In the last year, the Council has taken several actions including establishing a Select Committee on Homelessness and holding a special meeting of the Council focused on housing.
We need to do more, and the time for action is now.
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In the past several months, county officials have made vaccines available free to the public, including those in homeless encampments and other hepatitis A hot spots. Officials said more than 40,000 people have been vaccinated so far. To continue the momentum in battling the virus, the city of San Diego has partnered with the county to provide free vaccinations at public libraries through December.
Other sanitation measures have included the installment of 41 hand- washing stations and a new 24-hour restroom facility in the downtown area, where homeless people tend to congregate. Currently, there are 22 public restrooms downtown. The operating hours of 14 restrooms in Balboa Park have also been expanded to 24 hours a day, and city streets are being power-washed and bleached on a regular basis.
