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Current Situation
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health declared a communitywide outbreak of hepatitis A virus infections in Los Angeles residents in May 2025. The infection is caused by the hepatitis A virus, which is found in the stool of those who are infected. HAV is contagious through the fecal-oral route and spreads through close person-to-person contact and eating contaminated food or drink. Historically unhoused individuals have been at higher risk for contracting hepatitis A infection because of limited access to handwashing and toileting facilities. Most hepatitis A infections in 2025, however, have been among people without risk factors such as travel or being unhoused. Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection. Public Health recommends that LA County residents take the following actions to help prevent the spread of disease:
- Check if you have been vaccinated for hepatitis A. If you haven’t, contact your medical provider to get vaccinated. Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A and should be a covered benefit under most health insurance plans.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before eating and preparing food and after using the bathroom.
More Information
Communications
News Release, May 5, 2025: Public Health Declares Hepatitis A Outbreak in Los Angeles County
LAHAN Health Alert for Healthcare Professionals, May 5, 2025: LAC DPH Health Alert Public Health Declares Communitywide Outbreak of Hepatitis A in Los Angeles County
Data
In addition to data below which are updated every Thursday (last updated June 05, 2025), please refer to the Annual Dashboard for more information on hepatitis A trends.
Resources
Public Health Hepatitis A webpage for the public and health professionals
Data updated weekly on Thursdays.
Confirmed Hepatitis A Cases1See footnote 1 Among Los Angeles County Residents, by Month and Travel Association, January 1, 2024 – Present2See footnote 2 (N=184)
1Meets Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists case definition for hepatitis A; cases exclude Pasadena and Long Beach residents
2Data are updated weekly on Thursdays; cases are included upon completion of case investigation and confirmation by Department of Public Health staff
3Did not report travel during the 7-week exposure period to a country designated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as intermediate or high endemic for hepatitis A
4Reported travel during the 7-week exposure period to a country designated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as intermediate or high endemic for hepatitis A
5Area shaded in gray indicates that case counts are preliminary; cases currently pending investigation and confirmation are not included
6Earliest existing value of date among onset date of diagnosis, date of death, date received, specimen collection date
Demographic Characteristics of Los Angeles County Residents with Non-Travel Associated1See footnote 1 Hepatitis A Virus Infection2See footnote 2, January 1, 2024 – Present 3See footnote 3
| Total | ||
|---|---|---|
| Count | Percent | |
| Total | 142 | -- |
| Year of Episode Date Refer to Footnote 44 | ||
| 2024 | 104 | 73% |
| 2025 | 38 | 27% |
| Outcomes Refer to Footnote 55 | ||
| Hospitalized | 35 | 25% |
| Deaths | 7 | 5% |
| Risk Factors | ||
| Experiencing or history of homelessness Refer to Footnote 6,76,7 | 22 | 15% |
| Uses drugs Refer to Footnote 7,87,8 | 9 | 6% |
| Experiencing or history of homelessness Refer to Footnote 66 and uses drugs Refer to Footnote 88 | 25 | 18% |
| None Refer to Footnote 99 | 76 | 54% |
| Not interviewed Refer to Footnote 1010 | 10 | 7% |
| Gender Identity | ||
| Male | 102 | 72% |
| Female | 40 | 28% |
| Other Gender Identity Refer to Footnote 1111 | 0 | 0% |
| Prefer Not to State/Unknown | 0 | 0% |
| Age Group | ||
| ≤44 years | 55 | 39% |
| 45-64 years | 64 | 45% |
| ≥65 years | 23 | 16% |
| Unknown | 0 | 0% |
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Asian (non-Hispanic/Latino) | 7 | 5% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic/Latino) | 26 | 18% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 37 | 26% |
| White (non-Hispanic/Latino) | 66 | 46% |
| Other Race or Ethnicity Refer to Footnote 1212 | 6 | 4% |
| Unknown | 0 | 0% |
| Service Planning Area Refer to Footnote 1313 | ||
| 1 - Antelope Valley | 0 | 0% |
| 2 - San Fernando Valley | 10 | 7% |
| 3 - San Gabriel Valley | 8 | 6% |
| 4 - Metro Los Angeles | 46 | 32% |
| 5 - West Los Angeles | 24 | 17% |
| 6 - South Los Angeles | 28 | 20% |
| 7 - East Los Angeles | 13 | 9% |
| 8 - South Bay | 12 | 8% |
| Unknown | 1 | 1% |
1Did not report travel during the 7-week exposure period to a country designated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as intermediate or high endemic for hepatitis A
2Meets Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists case definition for hepatitis A; cases exclude Pasadena and Long Beach residents
3Data are updated weekly on Thursdays; cases are included upon completion of case investigation and confirmation by Department of Public Health staff
4Earliest existing value of date among onset date of diagnosis, date of death, date received, specimen collection date; cases are included once investigation has been completed and reviewed by department of public health staff, data are updated weekly on Thursday
5Not mutually exclusive
6Currently or with past history (ever) of being unhoused or living in transitional, temporary, or unstable housing (as indicated on case report form or medical record), or history of receiving services in LA County's Homeless Management Information System
7No or unknown history of other risk factors
8Use of illicit drugs (as indicated on case report form)
9No recent history of homelessness or illicit drug use (as indicated on case report form)
10Refused interview or incapable of completing interview
11Other Gender Identity includes transgender male, transgender female and gender non-conforming
12Other race and ethnicity includes American Indian or Alaska Native (non-Hispanic/Latino); Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic/Latino); Multiracial or Two or More Races (non-Hispanic/Latino); and other race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic/Latino)
13If the case is experiencing homelessness, service planning area is assigned based on the address of the facility ordering test; if in jail, address of jail
