"We currently have 51 hospitalized patients and nine patients in the emergency room ," said Dr. Raffaele Di Sarno , head of the infectious disease emergency room at Cotugno Hospital, commenting on the surge in hepatitis A cases in the Naples area.
The patients , Di Sarno explains, are between 30 and 40 years old and have " uncomplicated hepatitis, which is not currently a cause for concern ." Many of them reported eating raw mussels, so much so that in the last few hours, the City of Naples, with an ordinance signed by Mayor Gaetano Manfredi, has established a ban on their consumption in all public establishments, including neighborhood restaurants with on-site consumption and businesses producing for immediate consumption. He also recommended that residents do the same and be careful when consuming fruit and vegetables, which must be thoroughly washed. Similar ordinances have been signed by the mayors of Benevento and Forio (Ischia).
Meanwhile , the NAS Carabinieri, coordinated by Commander Alessandro Cisternino, are on the move: inspections have begun in Naples and the surrounding province at restaurants, fishmongers, and even at markets to determine whether untraceable seafood and vegetables are being sold. The samples collected will then be analyzed by the Portici Zooprophylactic Institute.
Regarding the spread, "cases are distributed throughout the country: similar situations are being reported in the provinces of Naples, Caserta, and other hospitals." Yesterday, there were 50 patients hospitalized at the Cotugno Hospital.
Di Sarno, however, rules out the possibility of an epidemic: "After the Christmas holidays, we always expect an increase related to mussel consumption. This year, the numbers are higher than usual, but we can't call it an epidemic."
The doctor finally reiterates the importance of vaccination: "It is recommended starting at one year of age and is safe, as it is a vaccine with inactivated viruses."
(Unioneonline/vl)
