DENVER– A Denver resident has died from the Hepatitis A outbreak that started in 2018 in Colorado.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the person had risk factors consistent with those experienced with others in the outbreak.
The identity of the person who died has not yet been released.
There have been 163 cases of Hepatitis A reported in Colorado resulting in 120 hospitalizations since October of 2018
CDPHE says people affected by the outbreak may have less access to preventive health care, poorer nutrition, crowded living conditions, and greater health risks.
“Deaths from hepatitis A are rare, but they can occur, especially when people who have other medical conditions get the disease,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state communicable disease epidemiologist. “This unfortunate death reminds us that the critical work our local public health agencies have been doing to vaccinate at-risk populations must continue. This outbreak is not over.”
The majority of cases have been seen in the following counties:
- El Paso County
- Arapahoe County
- Boulder County
- Denver County
- Douglas County
- Fremont County
- Jefferson County
- Pueblo County
You can see the outbreak report here.
Anyone at a high risk of contracting Hepatitis A can find a free vaccination clinic online or by calling the Denver Public Health immunization clinic at 303-602-3520.