The Board of Supervisors on Thursday scheduled a special meeting next week to extend a state of emergency over a deadly outbreak of hepatitis A in San Diego County.
The board is required to renew emergency declarations every two weeks, but its next regularly scheduled meeting is not until Jan. 9.
County health officials recently reported 574 hepatitis A cases linked to the outbreak, the start of which was traced back to November 2016. The current rate of infections is far below where it had been, though.
RELATED: Hepatitis A Outbreak Most Likely Over, Public Health Emergency Could End Soon
Of those sickened by the disease, which attacks the liver, 20 have died, but none recently.
Hepatitis A usually is transmitted by touching objects or eating food that someone with the virus has handled or by having sex with an infected person.
The disease does not always cause symptoms but can cause fever, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, yellowing of the eyes, stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools and diarrhea, according to the HHSA.
RELATED: Homeless Of Golden Hill's Temporary Shelter To Be Relocated
The county and city governments took several steps to address the outbreak, including the spraying of a sanitizing formula on streets and sidewalks, the placement of portable hand-washing stations and restrooms in areas where the homeless congregate and a stepped-up immunization campaign.
