Local officials say some women who were held in the Hamilton County Jail and Silverdale Detention Center, as well as some jail employees, may have been exposed to hepatitis A last week.
In statement released Monday, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department said women who were held at the jail from Thursday afternoon to Friday or those at Silverdale on Friday may have come in contact with the disease. Officials said the woman was only in the temporary female holding areas and not mixed in with the general jail populations at either facility.
On Monday morning, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond said that the woman was in the temporary holding area of the jail for several hours before being transferred to CoreCivic and then released same day.
"There's probably more than 30 employees that have to be contacted an given an opportunity to be tested to see that it did not spread," Hammond said.
The health department is offering free hepatitis A vaccines to any women who were in the temporary holding areas of either of these facilities during these dates and times. In order for the vaccine to be most effective for these individuals, it should be given soon and no later than Friday, according to the release. A special clinic will be available today and the rest of the week from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Adult/International Travel Clinic of the Third Street Health Department main campus. Clients do not need to bring proof of the incarceration or other documents.
The vaccine, which is free, is also available at four other health centers around the county on a walk-in basis between 8 a.m.-4p.m.:
' Birchwood Health Center, 5625 Highway 60, Birchwood, 423-961-0446
' Homeless Health Care Center, 730 E. 11th St., Chattanooga, 423-265-5708
' Ooltewah Health Center, 5520 High St., Ooltewah, 423-238-4269
' Sequoyah Health Center, 9527 W. Ridge Trail Road, Soddy-Daisy, 423-842-3031
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark colored urine, clay-colored stools, joint pain, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. Although rare, hepatitis A can cause death in some people. Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. Hepatitis A can also spread from close personal contact with an infected person such as through sex or caring for someone who is ill. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is through vaccination. Other preventive measures include thorough hand washing before preparing or eating food and after changing diapers or going to the bathroom.
Most adults have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A. The vaccine has only been routine for children entering kindergarten in the past few years.
As of Friday, 12 cases of hepatitis A have been reported in Hamilton County since May 2018. Normally, the county has 0-1 cases per year.
In the current multi-state hepatitis A outbreak, the disease is occurring mainly among people who are homeless, those who use injection and non-injection drugs, men who have sex with men, and their direct contacts. Caring for someone who is ill with the disease or living in close quarters with them are also risk factors. Anyone with these risk factors may come to the health department and get the vaccine free.