OMAHA, Nebraska - The Douglas County Health Department is investigating a "cluster" of Hepatitis A cases in the metro area.
Spokesperson Phil Rooney tells NewsRadio 1110 KFAB , "Normally, we have zero to four cases of Hepatitis A during the year. It isn't like some areas of the country where it is tied to the opioid problem or sanitation conditions so when we have five in the last six weeks or so caught our attention. We are trying to find out a common source for that."
The five patients are female and range in age from 15 to 73. Again, there is no common source of exposure so health officials with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and Three Rivers Public Health are working with the Douglas County Health Department to determine the source.
Symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, fever, vomiting and joint pain. Jaundice that causes yellow skin or eyes is another symptom along with dark urine. Rooney says it can take quite a while to recover from it but it is considered an immune virus so once you have it you are less likely to get it again.
Rooney says those diagnosed with Hepatitis A should not go to work until the symptoms have been gone for 24 hours and it is important not to prepare food for a week after the start of symptoms.