--- title: Hepatitis A outbreak in New Caney schools hospitalizes two students date: 2004-10-15T15:03:07-07:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/hepatitis-a-outbreak-in-new-caney-schools-hospitalizes-two-students" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / # Hepatitis A outbreak in New Caney schools hospitalizes two students By: Nancy Flake , Courier staff 10/15/2004 An outbreak of Hepatitis A has been confirmed in New Caney schools, with two students hospitalized with the disease. According to New Caney Independent School District spokeswoman Cindee Reynolds, six students at White Oak Middle School and one student at Bens Branch Elementary school were confirmed Tuesday with the virus, which causes an acute inflammation of the liver. “We notified parents Friday when we had three cases at White Oak and one at Bens Branch,” Reynolds said. “We’ve been offering immunizations at both schools.” The Montgomery County Health Department has been called out to test both schools’ water supplies, because the schools are both new and located in the Briar Tree subdivision, Reynolds noted. “We had it tested last week and again this week, and the water’s fine,” she said. The Health Department also tested the schools’ food source as well as cafeteria staff members and custodians who clean the cafeterias. “We received high marks there,” Reynolds said. The only thing left to check now is commonality between infected students. “The health department is looking at that,” she said. “Only two are related, and no other commonalities have been found yet.” While not all students at the schools have been immunized, “because of parental choice,” Reynolds, said, 164 students at White Oak Middle School were immunized as of Thursday. The school district has not canceled any classes and doesn’t plan to. “So far we’ve been pretty lucky it hasn’t disrupted things,” Reynolds said. Hepatitis A (HAV) infection is not fatal and does not lead to chronic disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s Web site, an estimated 33 percent of Americans have been infected with HAV, which is transmitted by ingestion of fecal-contaminated food and water, or through close personal contact with an infected person. Symptoms range from no symptoms to fatigue, fever and jaundice, along with light stools and dark urine. Symptoms usually last less than two months. There is a vaccination to prevent HAV infection, with recommended doses of two vaccines for any uninfected individuals more than 2 years old. Once a non-vaccinated person has been exposed to HAV, however, immune globulin needs to be administered for protection from the virus. Precautions against HAV include washing hands after using the toilet, cleaning surfaces contaminated with feces, drinking safe water and eating food thoroughly cooked and prepared, according to the CDC. Uncooked shellfish should be avoided. The New Caney school district is taking precautions at both White Oak Middle School and Bens Branch Elementary School, such as teaching children how to properly wash their hands and increasing sanitization of water fountains, according to Reynolds. 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