Health News For York Region
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Friday, July 26, 2013
Community and Health Services, The Regional Municipality of York

Learn the signs. Reduce your risk.

World Hepatitis Day is on Sunday, July 28
 
The Regional Municipality of York joins communities around the world by marking July 28 as World Hepatitis Day. In 2012, 555 chronic cases of hepatitis B and C were newly reported in York Region. An estimated 390 million people live globally with chronic hepatitis B and C.
 
Learn the signs
 
Hepatitis B and C are viral infections attacking the liver and may lead to liver scarring, liver failure and liver cancer. Hepatitis B can spread through blood or body fluid during unprotected sex, sharing needles, contaminated personal or medical equipment and from a mother to her baby.
 
Hepatitis C is primarily spread through direct blood contact. It can be spread from using shared needles, non-sterile equipment for tattoos and body piercing, medical procedures or by sharing personal hygiene items such as razors and toothbrushes.
 
Symptoms for hepatitis B and C include fever, flu-like symptoms, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and/or skin), dark urine, muscle pain, joint pain and fatigue.
 
A vaccine is available for hepatitis B, providing protection from infection. As part of Ontario’s publicly funded immunization program, York Region offers the vaccine annually to all Grade 7 students attending school in York Region. The vaccine is also offered at no cost to residents in high-risk groups. There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C.
 
You can reduce the risk of becoming infected with hepatitis B and C by ensuring your immunizations are up-to-date, practicing safe and protected sex using a condom and treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious.
 
Reduce your risk with YorkSafe
 
To avoid serious infections such as hepatitis B and C, you can now search online for inspection reports through York Region’s YorkSafe disclosure program. York Region expanded its YorkSafe program earlier this month to become the first GTA health unit to post Proof of Public Health Inspection signs at all personal service settings across the Region, including hair salons, tattoo studios and spas.
 
For more information on YorkSafe, please visit www.york.ca/yorksafe
 
For more information on World Hepatitis Day, please visit http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org
 
For more information on this or any other public health-related program, please call York Region
Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933 or visit http://www.york.ca/default.htm 
 
Media Contact: Juliana Coughlin, Community and Health Services, The Regional Municipality of York
905-830-4444 or 1-877-464-9675 ext. 4101 After-Hours Cell: 905-955-2533 juliana.coughlin@york.ca
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Ontario Government COVID-19 Information

Contact your primary care provider or Health811 at 8-1-1 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007) if you’re experiencing symptoms of the COVID-19 symptoms.
 
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