CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Officials recently administered vaccines to inmates at the Montgomery County Jail to prevent a potential outbreak after an inmate tested positive for the virus.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and their inmate medical provider Correct Care Solutions, along with the assistance of the Montgomery County Health Department and Tennessee Health Department, administered 610 hepatitis A vaccines to inmates and jail deputies on Saturday, August 4, 2018.

According to MCSO, the inmate tested positive on Thursday, August 2, 2018 and has since been quarantined and placed under medical care. As of Aug. 8, 2018, no other inmate has tested positive for hepatitis A.

According to the CDC, hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks, to a severe illness lasting several months. Although rare, hepatitis A can cause death in some people. Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person.

“It can be a serious and sometimes deadly disease, but the good news is steps can be taken to prevent it. This includes simply washing your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before eating and preparing food and also getting the hepatitis A vaccine,” said Joey Smith, Health Department Director.

“When something like this occurs, you have to act fast to prevent it from spreading, and we did exactly that,” said Sheriff John Fuson. “This entire process highlights the readiness of our jail staff, our inmate medical provider, and our local and state health departments, who all did a great job addressing this issue.”

The state of Kentucky is currently experiencing a major outbreak of the virus in several counties, and multiple cases have also been reported in the Metro Nashville area.

For more information on the causes, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis A visit the CDC’s website.

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