BUT FIRST - BREAKING NEWS YOUFIRST SAW RIGHT HERE INEWSCHANNEL 5.

THE MEDICALEXAMINER SAYS A PALM CITYCOUPLE DIED AS A RESULT OFCOMPLICATIONS FROM HEPATITISA.RIGHT NOW WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'sMEGHAN McROBERTS IS LIVE WITHWHAT WE'VE LEARNED AND WHATYOU NEED TO KNOW TO PROTECYOURSELF...THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH CONFIRMING FOR ME THATMARTIN COUNTY IS NOWCONSIDERED A "HIGH RISK AREA"FOR HEPATITIS A& NOW- THEVIRUS BLAMED FOR THE DEATHS OFA LOCAL ATTORNEY AND HIS WIFE&JEFFREY AND NANCY KIRSH& WHOWERE FOUND DEAD IN THEIR HOMEBEHIND ME IN THE SUNSET TRACENEIGHBORHOOD IN PALM CITY.WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR HOW THEHEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL MOVEFORWARD AND IF A SOURCE OFTHEIR ILLNESS CAN EVEN BEIDENTIFIED& BUT I'VE ALSOCONFIRMED NOW A SECOND COUPLECOMING DOWN WITH THE VIRUS INTHE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD... INFACT... ON THE SAME BLOCK.

THEFLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHISSUED AN ALERT AS RECENTLY ASNOVEMBER& THAT HEPATITIS ACASES WERE ON THE RISESTATEWIDE& AND THAT LAST YEARTHE NUMBER OF CASES TRIPLEDTHE PREVIOUS 5 YEAR AVERAGTONIGHT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTALSO STRESSING THIS ISPREVENTABLE THROUGHVACCINATION.

MM NC 5HERE'S WHAT THE CENTERS FORDISEASE CONTROL SAYS ABOUTHEPATITIS 'A'..... IT'S AHIGHLY CONTAGIOUS LIVERINFECTION CAUSED BY THEHEPATITIS A VIRUS, BUT AVACCINE BECAME AVAILABLE IN1995.HEPATITIS A "IS" TRANSMITTEDPERSON TO PERSON BY WAY OFBODILY FLUIDS DIRECTLY ORTHROUGH CONSUMPTION OFCONTAMINATED FOOD OR WATER.THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE -FATIGUE, SUDDEN NAUSEA ANDVOMITING, ABDOMINAL PAIN AND ALOW-GRADE FEVER.

IT'S USUALLYGONE WITHIN TWO MONTHS OFINFECTION - IF TREATED.

THEC-D-C SAYS IT IS 'RARE' FORPEOPLE TO DIE FROM HEPATITISA, BUT THEY ARE USUALLY OLDERIF THAT HAPPENS.

THE BEST WAYTO PREVENT IT IS TO GEVACCINATED.NOW TO THE MYSTERY SURROUNDI