The Health Affairs Department in Taif has announced a state of emergency after finding seven cases of Hepatitis A in the village of Mahani in northern Taif. Saeed Al-Zahrani, spokesman for the Department in Taif, said the appearance of the disease was due to contaminated drinking water and urged residents to refrain from drinking water from the local underground wells. Al-Zahrani said health authorities were closely following any development in the disease in order to promptly deal with any new cases. Residents of the area asked officials to form a committee to investigate the reason for the spread of the disease and called for the provision of potable desalinated water. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus and can cause inflammation that affects the functioning of the liver. Mild cases do not require treatment, and most people who are infected recover completely with no permanent liver damage. Unlike hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A does not develop into potentially fatal conditions. Hepatitis A can be contracted from contaminated food or water or from close contact with an infected person.
