NEWS IN BRIEF

Hepatitis jabs after outbreak

AROUND 170 people associated with a primary school in Denbighshire will be offered a hepatitis A vaccination following an outbreak in the area.

The vaccination session for children attending Ysgol Caer Drewyn, their siblings and members of staff will be held on Monday.

There are now seven confirmed cases of hepatitis A in the wider community, which includes three children that attend the school.

Public Health Wales says the school is co-operating fully with arrangements for vaccination session which is being undertaken by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The outbreak control team do not believe that the infection was contracted at Ysgol Caer Drewyn, in Corwen and the source of the outbreak is being investigated.

Vaccination at the school is being offered by as a precaution as hepatitis A spreads easily between young children who will often not have symptoms but can still transmit infection to other people.

There is no link between this outbreak and two outbreaks of Hepatitis A reported in the Rhyl area earlier this year.

Dr Christopher Johnson, consultant in health protection for Public Health Wales, said: “Hepatitis A is a viral infection, usually short lived, that has unpleasant symptoms but is rarely serious.

“Children often only have a very mild illness or do not have symptoms at all.

“Symptoms can include flu-like illness such as tiredness, general aches and pains, headaches and fever, as well as loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pains, jaundice, very dark urine and itchy skin.

“Good handwashing after using the toilet and before preparing or eating food is the best way to prevent the virus spreading.”