Hepatitis A on rise in Colorado with nearly 300 known cases

DENVER (AP) - Almost 300 people have contracted hepatitis A in Colorado since an increase in the contagious liver disease began in 2018.

State health officials say at least two of those people have died, one in Denver and the other in nearby Arapahoe County.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says the rise in hepatitis A is part of a nationwide increase that has sickened at least 28,600 people and killed over 280.

Health officials in Denver are working to curb the disease through a vaccination campaign. Over 18,200 people in Colorado have received hepatitis A vaccinations since October 2018. Contaminated food, beverages and objects spread the virus.

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