CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — Carroll County's public health authorities are urging vaccinations for residents after confirming a Hepatitis A outbreak.
The county said this week they've recorded 46 cases, and said they will be hosting a free Hepatitis A vaccination and HIV testing event on Thursday, Dec. 3.
That event will be at the Carroll County Department of Community Supervision at 924 Maple Street in Carrollton. It will run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
The cases were recorded between April 1 and November 16. Georgia is one of 29 states experiencing an outbreak, with 562 cases recorded since January 1.
According to the CDC, Hepatitis A is a very contagious liver infection that spreads when "someone unknowingly ingests the virus — even in microscopic amounts — through close personal contact with an infected person or through eating contaminated food or drink."
According to the county's public health officials, communities most at-risk for Hepatitis A include users of illicit drugs, individuals with a history of incarceration, men who have sex with men, close contacts of people with Hepatitis A, people experiencing homelessness or transience, and other persons with close contact to people with these risk factors.
“We are urging individuals with one or more of these risk factors, especially illicit drug use, to get the Hepatitis A vaccine," Hayla Foden, the public information officer for District 4 Public Health, said in a statement. "Additionally, World AIDS Days is being celebrated on Tuesday, December 1. Although, our focus is on Hepatitis A, it is necessary to raise awareness about the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic and its impact on our communities. What we know is that individuals at risk for Hepatitis A may also be at risk for HIV and; if left untreated, may subsequently become at-risk for AIDS which is the end stage of the virus without treatment. To this end, we are providing both Hepatitis A vaccines and HIV rapid-testing for free in a one-stop shop."