Travel Health Pro has issued a warning to Britons planning to visit the Czech Republic due to a fast-spreading outbreak of hepatitis A, also known as “dirty hands disease.”
The virus, which is spread through feces, inflames the liver, stopping it from functioning properly, leading to jaundice, dark urine, and itchy skin.
The Czech Health Ministry warns that the disease is spreading among children, adolescents, young adults, and people with risky behavior, especially drug addicts and homeless people.
As of May 5, the Czech Republic has recorded 450 confirmed cases of hepatitis A, with six deaths reported. The hardest-hit areas so far are Central Bohemia, Moravia-Silesia, and Prague.
Health chiefs have advised travelers to avoid consuming raw salads, vegetables, fruit, ice cream, raw or semi-raw seafood, and oysters.
Hepatitis A is largely asymptomatic in children and takes 14-50 days for symptoms to develop in adults.
