In the Czech Republic, Hepatitis A is spreading as widely as it has not for nearly three decades. Prague is particularly affected, with authorities already referring to a local epidemic. Experts warn of a further rise in cases and urge attention to hygiene and vaccination.
By the end of September, doctors in the Czech Republic had registered 1,776 cases of Hepatitis A, according to the State Health Institute (SZÚ) – the highest number since 1996. Prague is particularly affected: almost 40 per cent of all cases were reported in the capital. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS) last week already spoke of a “local epidemic”. The disease is closely linked to inadequate hygiene.
According to the SZÚ, 21 deaths related to Hepatitis A have been recorded so far this year – five of them in September alone. “Most deaths occurred in people with risky behaviour and chronic liver disease,” explained Kateřina Fabiánová, Deputy Head of the Epidemiology Department at the SZÚ, to the news channel ČT24. “In these patients, the course of viral Hepatitis A can be severe or even fatal. The risk increases with age and is significantly higher in people with weakened immune systems or existing liver disease.” Last year, only two deaths were reported.
Hygiene and Vaccination in Focus
Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted via contaminated hands. Experts therefore strongly advise thorough handwashing. Small children, socially disadvantaged groups, and people without a permanent residence are particularly at risk. In Prague, homeless people and other risk groups are currently being vaccinated. The city has also stepped up cleaning of vehicles and stations in public transport.
Cases Continue to Rise
Since March, the number of infections has been increasing steadily – in August, 295 new cases were reported, and in September already 428. A similarly high increase was last seen in the 1970s and late 1980s. In the record year 1979, over 32,000 infections were registered in the former Czechoslovakia.
The symptoms of Hepatitis A initially resemble flu: fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and pain in the upper right abdomen. Later, there is yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, lighter stools, and sometimes severe itching – typical signs of liver inflammation.
