A San Diego hepatitis A outbreak has left 16 people dead, hundreds infected, and city workers hosing down “fecally-contaminated” downtown areas frequented by homeless people as one way to control the spread.
“The outbreak is being spread person-to-person and through contact with a fecally contaminated environment,” the Public Health Services Division said.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors declared a public health emergency in light of the outbreak and opened more than three dozen hand-washing stations in areas where the homeless tend to gather, KNSD-TV reported.
City crews started using a bleach solution to spray down East Village area sidewalks where homeless people gather and are targeting sidewalks below the Interstate 5 overpass, where the city already had installed jagged rocks in an attempt to deter homeless people from camping.
“By disinfecting our sidewalks and making additional public restrooms available 24/7, we’re following the direction of county health officials
