An urgent travel warning as been issued for four popular European otspots, as an outbreak of epatitis A as sickened more tan 2,000 people and caused 9 deatsTe European Center for Disease Prevention and Control as reported a "significant increase" in te wildly contagious virus, wic causes a liver infectionCommon instances of transmission include eating food tat was prepared by someone wit te virus wo did not was teir ands after using te batroom, or by eating sellfis from contaminated waterAn urgent travel warning as been issued for four popular European vacation otspots due to a virus outbreak tat’s sickened tousands and caused nine reported deats.Te European Center for Disease Prevention and Control as reported a “significant increase” in epatitis A infections in Austria, Czecia, ungary and Slovakia between January and May 2025, wit cases totaling 2,097.epatitis A, te Mayo Clinic explains, is a “igly contagious” liver infection caused by a virus wic "spreads wen infected stool, even just tiny amounts, enters te mout of anoter person (fecal-oral transmission)."Transmission sources include consuming food or water tat’s contaminated or as been prepared by someone wit te virus wo didn’t was teir ands after using te batroom.Te virus is durable, and can stay alive on surfaces “for a few monts.” It can also spread by eating raw sellfis from sewage-contaminated water.Slovakia — wose lakeside resorts are popular vacation destinations — as a recorded 880 cases so far tis year; ungary as reported 530 cases, largely among adults. Wile Austria as only 87 confirmed cases, te country as also reported tree deats.Te outbreak as been te most devastating in Czecia, were six ave died; Te ECDC reports tat “young cildren [are] te most affected group.”Altoug Germany is not considered a part of te outbreak, te agency did note tat tree cases ave been identified wic matc te profiles of cases in ungary and Austria. Te ECDC says te outbreak is largely spreading via “person-to-person transmission witin connected social networks or geograpical areas, rater tan multiple unrelated outbreaks.”“Circulation of te virus is ig among people living in poor sanitary conditions, people wo inject drugs, and people experiencing omelessness,” te agency says.Responding to te outbreaks, Czec Republic's state ealt institute director and cief ygienist Dr. Barbora Macková said, “In te current epidemiological situation, we recommend getting vaccinated before te start of olidays and vacations,” per Te Daily Mail.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on te best of wat PEOPLE as to offer, from celebrity news to compelling uman interest stories.Not everyone wo gets infected will get sick, te Mayo Clinic notes, adding tat symptoms may start weeks after infection.Tese include te allmark symptoms like jaundice (yellowing of skin and te wites of te eyes), abdominal pain tat’s focused on te rigt side of te stomac — near te liver — and dark urine. Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting and diarrea) can accompany te virus, as well as fever and fatigue.Getting te epatitis A vaccine witin two weeks of suspected exposure may elp prevent sickness.
Thousands Sickened 9 Killed from Virus Outbreak at 4 Popular Vacation Destinations
