Incidence of hepatitis A increasing in regions of Uzbekistan

Since the beginning of the year, almost 10 thousand children have become infected with jaundice, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz news agency.

According to the head of the information service of the Committee on Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health, Maftuna Saidova, 9,507 children are currently infected with hepatitis A in the republic.

An increase in incidence rates is noted in Andijan, Bukhara, Namangan, Surkhandarya, Samarkand, Fergana regions, as well as in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Maftuna Saidova also noted that vaccination prevents transmission of the virus in 94-98 percent of cases. Children aged 18 months to 14 years are mainly vaccinated against hepatitis A. After vaccination, a person develops immunity to hepatitis A, which lasts for 15 years.

It is noted that vaccination is one-time, repeated vaccination is not required. Last year, 365,167 children were vaccinated throughout the republic. Also, more than 4 billion soums have been allocated from the local budget of a number of regions, including the capital, for the vaccination of children with disabilities and socially vulnerable children.