No more cases of hepatitis confirmed after Mission of Mercy scare
No more cases of hepatitis have been confirmed following a scare at a Mission of Mercy clinic in West Virginia.
In June it was announced that five people who were involved with the clinic had developed the condition and everyone who had either worked at the clinic or received treatment was encouraged to go for a blood test. Since June, no more cases have been recorded and around 350 people have been tested.
The Mission of Mercy projects helps people who struggle to afford dental treatment and often go without; the free clinics offer them a lifeline and enable them to get the care they need.
The five people who were infected with the virus have now been treated and have recovered; it is not clear whether they contracted the infection from the Mission of Mercy clinic. Health investigators did not find any evidence of the infection at the clinic but health officials were keen to encourage people to go for tests if they attended the clinic.
Hepatitis is a viral infection, which affects the liver; if left untreated, it can be very serious. The infection has a six week to six month incubation period, meaning that symptoms may not become visible for a long period of time after exposure to the virus. Patients who experience symptoms including high temperature, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice are encouraged to seek medical attention.
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