Kennebunkport Still Does Not Have Hepatitis A Under Control

 After a fourth and now a fifth case of Hepatitis A turned up in the Kennebunkport Consolidated Schools, upset parents say they were not informed soon enough by school officials.

According to Maine news site, seacoastonline. com:

Following news that a fifth child has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, parents questioned the MSAD 71 School Board on Monday as to why all parents weren't notified after the initial outbreak at Consolidated School.

"We don't care who it is, but we want to know that it is (real)," said mother Amy Johnson.

The first two cases were diagnosed in September, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control, and both children were members of the same family. At that time, only students in those two classes were notified of the outbreak.

Three more cases were diagnosed at Consolidated between late October and early November. Six additional cases have been diagnosed in the Kennebunk/Kennebunkport area, all involving family members of the first two children.

The school district did send out a letter to all parents last week about the outbreak.  For more, go here.

Maine Combats Hepatitis A Outbreak Involving School

The Maine Center for Disease Control yesterday ordered 170 students vaccinated for Hepatitis A.

The shots were provided to those enrolled at the Kennebunkport Consolidated School after three children at the school were diagnosed with the virus in recent weeks.

Best known for the nearby compound of former President George H.W. Bush (see picture), the Kennebunkport area has seen nine cases of Hepatitis A.  Eight involved a single family and the ninth case was linked to that family through the school.

Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the Maine CDC, told Seacoastonline that officials suspect that an adult who recently traveled to a country where hepatitis A is prevalent might have brought the virus back to Kennebunkport.

A letter is being sent out to parents today.  For details, go here.