What to Know
- City officials plan on installing more public bathrooms in Kensington in order to help fight the Hepatitis A outbreak in the city.
- Human feces, which are frequently spotted on the street in Kensington, help to spread the virus.
- The city has not yet confirmed when the bathrooms will be installed.
With Hepatitis A spreading in Philadelphia and human feces in public places remaining a recurring problem in Kensington, city officials are hoping public bathrooms can help stop the outbreak.
Officials announced earlier this month they’ve seen a rapid increase in Hepatitis A virus infections in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. As of Wednesday, there have been 154 cases of Hepatitis A since May, compared to 21 in all of 2018 and 19 in all of 2017, according to a city spokesperson.
Brian Abernathy, Philadelphia’s managing director, told WHYY the city plans to deploy hand washing stations, public toilets and public facilities in Kensington, where many of the Hepatitis A cases have been reported.
Abernathy said the hand washing stations could be installed in Kensington within the next few weeks though he did not reveal a timeline for the installation of the public toilets.
The city is considering several models, including traditional portable toilet stalls and mobile bathroom stations, according to Abernathy.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection. Symptoms include a mild illness that lasts a few weeks, a severe illness lasting several months and, in some cases, even death. The virus spreads when a person unknowingly ingests it from objects, food or drinks contaminated by small amounts of feces from an infected person. It can also spread from close contact with an infected person.
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Human feces have often been spotted in parks, on the street and even on doorsteps in Kensington. Health officials believe it contributed to the recent outbreak.
While the virus has spread to the homeless and people who use drugs, they aren’t the only ones who are vulnerable. Amanda Fury, a community leader in Kensington, told NBC10 she believes she got the virus while cleaning and gardening outside.
“We’re constantly working in the dirt,” Fury said. “I’m a little concerned that’s how we got it. Unsanitary behavior in the neighborhood right now.”
A free vaccine clinic also opened up inside Kensington’s McPherson Square on 601 East Indiana Avenue. Vaccinations will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday.
