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The 8 Florida Counties With The Most New Hepatitis A Infections

Image: Hepatitis A, CDC.gov
Image: Hepatitis A, CDC.gov

Central Florida continues to see record numbers of hepatitis A cases.

As of last week, eight Florida counties - all surrounding the I-4 corridor - have reported more than 100 cases of hepatitis A this year. Pasco and Pinellas counties have the most, with more than 340 new infections in each.

But Volusia County ranks third with just over 208 infections. Orange County is fourth with 150 cases, and Marion County is in sixth with 113 new infections.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a public health emergency early this month. The state is offering free vaccines to populations at risk, including drug users and people who have recently experienced homelessness.

Last week, more than 6,400 Floridians were vaccinated against hepatitis A. 

The Florida Department of Health is actively working to vaccinate those most at risk for hepatitis A infection," the department wrote in its weekly surveillance report. "Since October 2018, the number of first doses of hepatitis A vaccine administered by both private providers and county health departments to adults age 18 years and older, as recorded in Florida SHOTS, remained well above the previous 5-
year-average."

Health officials stress the importance of washing your hands as the disease is spread through the fecal-to-oral route. See the table below for a full list of all Florida counties.
Pasco     374
Pinellas     344
Volusia     208
Orange     150
Hillsborough     122
Marion     113
Manatee     103
Hernando     101
Lake     98
Brevard     85
Lee     54
Palm Beach     54
Sarasota     44
Seminole     40
Citrus     39
Martin     33
St. Lucie     33
Polk     31
Sumter     31
Osceola     30
Charlotte     17
Miami-Dade     27
Broward     13
Santa Rosa     13
Duval     9
Okeechobee     9
Indian River     8
Levy     7
Bay     6
St. Johns     6
Alachua     5
Flagler     5
Okaloosa     5
Taylor     5
Collier     4
Jackson     4
Clay     3
Columbia     3
Escambia     3
Leon     3
Nassau     3
DeSoto     2
Glades     2
Hendry     2
Putnam     2
Wakulla     2
Walton     2
Franklin     1
Gilchrist     1
Hamilton     1
Hardee     1
Liberty     1
Madison     1
Monroe     1
Suwannee     1
Washington     1
Baker     0
Bradford     0
Calhoun     0
Dixie     0
Gadsden     0
Gulf     0
Highlands     0
Holmes     0
Jefferson     0
Lafayette     0
Union     0