The number of Hepatitis A cases in the village of Mahani in northern Taif has gone up to eight, local authorities have said, with another possible six cases awaiting confirmation. Medical teams have visited the residences of infected people and vaccinated cohabitants since the outbreak was discovered four days ago, when the Health Affairs Department in Taif announced a state of emergency. Mahani Medical Center has further sent missives to the Administrative Center describing the danger of waste accumulation, the spread of mosquitoes and contaminated drinking water sources, urging them to take immediate necessary measures. The discovery of seven cases last week prompted residents to call on officials to form committees to find out the source of the disease and eradicate mosquitoes. They also asked for an increase in the number of street cleaners. Saeed Al-Zahrani, spokesman for the Department in Taif, said the appearance of the disease was due to contaminated water and urged residents to refrain from drinking water from the local underground wells. There are no desalination plants for the provision of potable water in the area, which is home to over 30,000 residents. 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. It can be contracted from contaminated food or water or from close contact with an infected person.
