Ripon hepatitis A outbreak school vaccinates pupils and staff

An outbreak of hepatitis A at Outwood Academy school may have been passed through food eaten in the canteen

Pupils and staff at a North Yorkshire school at the centre of a hepatitis A outbreak have been vaccinated after the virus spread to another pupil.

Public Health England (PHE) said 30 cases were confirmed in Ripon, with 20 of those at Outwood Academy school and a further 10 in the wider community.

In a letter, the school said it had seen "transmission from pupil to pupil spread within the school".

PHE said hepatitis A cases were likely to rise as investigations continued.

But the number of new illnesses connected to Outwood Academy "continue to slow down" and risk to the wider community "remains low", a PHE spokeswoman said.

The school said it took measures ahead of the school holiday to prevent the infection from spreading "throughout the summer".

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Dr Mike Gent, deputy director of health protection at PHE Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "Parents of pupils at Outwood Academy, and staff, have been asked to remain alert to the signs and symptoms of hepatitis A infection.

"In particular, jaundice - a condition which causes the skin and the whites of the eyes to turn yellow - could indicate infection with Hepatitis A.

"Anyone developing symptoms should contact their GP or NHS 111 for advice. People are urged not to contact GPs if they remain well."

One of the 30 confirmed hepatitis A cases includes a food handler at So! Bar and Eats in Ripon

He said the source of illness and "any potential common links between these cases remains under investigation".

A food handler at So! Bar and Eats was among the confirmed cases and precautionary advice was given to anyone who ate at the Ripon pub between 8 and 23 June to be aware of the symptoms. But no further cases linked to the restaurant had been found, PHE said.

Hepatitis A advice

• Hepatitis A is passed from person to person by eating food or drinking water containing the virus

• The virus can spread easily within families and where people live closely together

• The virus is passed out in the faeces so it is important to wash hands after going to the toilet and/or preparing food

• The symptoms of hepatitis A are similar to flu and include mild fever, joint and muscle pain, feeling and being sick, diarrhoea, loss of appetite and stomach pain

• This can be followed by jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), dark-coloured urine and itchy skin

• Anyone with suspected hepatitis A infection should not attend school or work until their doctor advises return

Source: NHS England