Inmate In Boulder County Jail Tests Positive For Hepatitis A

BOULDER, Colo. (AP/CBS4) — An inmate in Boulder County Jail has tested positive for hepatitis A, two days after news of a death from a recent outbreak of the disease in Colorado. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office says jail and public health officials were notified Friday that an inmate had tested positive for the contagious liver infection and was separated from the rest of the jail population.

No other inmates or jail staff have shown symptoms of hepatitis A.

However, the sheriff's office says anyone released from the jail on or after Aug. 20 may be at risk for developing the disease.

Public health officials urge anyone released from the jail since then to contact their health care provider, call Boulder County Public Health at 303-413-7500 starting on Monday, or check vaccinefinder.org for a retail location to receive a vaccination.

Boulder County Public Health might provide assistance to those who need help paying for the vaccination.

Since Oct. 2018, 163 cases have been reported in the state this year, with most of the infected people needing hospitalization. Health officials Thursday announced the first death related to the outbreak.

Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks that are contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. It also can spread through close personal contact with an infected person such as through sex, caring for someone who is ill or sharing drugs or drug equipment with someone who may be ill.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)