Warning as popular stag do hotspot hit by potentially fatal ‘yellowing disease’ that’s ‘spreading fast’ infecting 450
BRITS jetting off to a popular stag and hen hotspot have been urged to get jabbed amid a fast-spreading outbreak of ‘dirty hands disease’.
Hundreds have fallen ill as hepatitis A sweeps through parts of the Czech Republic — including Prague, a favourite with British partygoers.
The potentially deadly virus is spread via the poo of infected people, which is why Czech health chiefs have nicknamed it 'dirty hands disease'.
The virus inflames the liver, stopping it from working properly. This means it can’t clear a substance called bilirubin from the body.
When bilirubin builds up, it causes jaundice — making your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow.
It can also lead to dark urine and cause itchy skin.
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But in some cases, people show no symptoms at all - making it even easier for the virus to spread unnoticed among crowds.
As of May 5, the Czech Republic has recorded 450 confirmed cases of hepatitis A (Hep A), with six deaths reported.
That’s a sharp rise compared to all of 2024, which saw 636 cases and two fatalities.
The hardest-hit areas so far are Central Bohemia (87 cases), Moravia-Silesia (83), and Prague (73).
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The disease is mostly spreading among young adults and the homeless who have not been vaccinated.
"They are therefore more likely to become infected when in contact with an infected person or objects," Dr Barbora Macková, chief hygienist and director of the SZÚ said in a statement.
"Increasing non-compliance with prescribed anti-epidemic measures and basic hygiene habits, the infection has very good conditions for "spreading", she added in the release shared on the UK's Travel Health Pros website.
Brits — and anyone planning to visit the Czech Republic — are being urged to check their vaccine records and get jabbed before travelling.
"In the current epidemiological situation, we recommend getting vaccinated before the start of holidays and vacations, "Dr Barbora added.
Hep A vaccines are not routinely given out in the UK due to the low risk of getting the infection.
But the NHS does advise the jab for travellers heading to places where the virus is more common.
These include parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
What are the symptoms of Hepatitis A?
Symptoms can include:
- feeling tired and generally unwell
- joint and muscle pain
- a high temperature (fever)
- loss of appetite
- feeling or being sick
- pain in the upper-right part of your tummy
- yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- dark urine and pale stools
- itchy skin
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You should also get vaccinated if you’ve recently been close to someone with hepatitis A.
If you have long-term liver disease or a blood clotting disorder like haemophilia, you should get the jab.
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Men who have sex with men and people with jobs that expose them to the virus - like healthcare or sewage workers - should also be vaccinated.
Speak to your GP if you think you need a hepatitis A vaccine.