The state will offer hepatitis A vaccinations in Jonesboro today and Monday after a restaurant employee tested positive for the virus.
The worker at the Pizza Inn in Jonesboro is one of 130 people in northeast Arkansas who have been diagnosed with the liver disease since February.
People who ate at the restaurant at 358 Southwest Drive in Jonesboro from Sept. 4-17 should seek vaccination immediately if they have never been vaccinated or don't know whether they have been, the state Department of Health said in a news release.
The vaccine will be available at the Craighead County Health Unit in Jonesboro from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Monday.
People should bring their insurance card if they have one but will not have to pay out of pocket for the shot, the department said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Arkansas' outbreak, which has resulted in one death, is one of several across the country that have affected primarily drug users and homeless people.
The disease is typically spread when a person ingests small amounts of fecal matter. Although a person may feel sick for months, most people recover completely and will not have any lasting liver damage, the department said.
Typical symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain or jaundice.
Most of the Arkansas cases have been in Greene County, where the Health Department has urged all residents age 19-60 to seek vaccination.
The department has also recommended the vaccine for all food handlers in Greene, Clay, and Craighead counties. Cases have also been reported in Independence, Lawrence, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, and Randolph counties.
Metro on 09/21/2018