Hepatitis Outbreak Is Slowing In West Virginia

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - West Virginia health officials say cases of Hepatitis A are slowing compared to last year, but they won't declare the outbreak over until the number of cases drop to the baseline of three per year.

According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the state has 2,533 active cases of hepatitis A. Kanawha County has the most with 809.

Epidemiologist Shannon McBee told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that the outbreak, which began last March, has been among the largest in West Virginia and while it's been difficult to confront, cases are down.

McBee said 23 cases have been reports in the last 63 days, a sharp decrease from the peak of the outbreak, when 100 cases a week were being reported.