Vaccination efforts are taking place across Colorado amid an outbreak of hepatitis A according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

“Hep A is completely preventable, and outbreaks can be stopped if people receive the vaccine,” said Nicole Comstock, deputy director of the Communicable Disease Branch at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in a release. “Colorado’s local public health agencies have done a remarkable job providing the vaccine to those who need it most, and in doing so preventing cases and associated health care costs.”

The department announced on Thursday health agencies across the state have provided nearly 6,000 hepatitis A vaccinations to at-risk populations. There have been 52 cases in the outbreak so far, with more than 80 percent of the cases in El Paso County.

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus that can be prevented with a safe, effective vaccine according to the state department. It is highly contagious and can cause liver disease lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting months. Rarely, it causes death. Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks that are contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. It also spreads through close personal contact with an infected person such as through sex, caring for someone who is ill, or sharing drugs or drug equipment with someone who may be ill.

“People affected by this outbreak may have less access to health care and greater health risks,” Comstock said. “Poorer nutrition, living in crowded places such as shelters and jails, limited access to facilities to maintain personal hygiene, and limited access to preventive health care unfortunately make disease spread more likely. Public health’s mission is to strive for health equity and to improve health and prevent disease among all people, regardless of life circumstances.”

To prevent additional illnesses and outbreaks, public health is focused on getting vaccine for:

-People who are transient or experiencing homelessness.

-People with substance use issues, such as use of injection and non-injection drugs.

-People who are in county or city jails.

-People who live with, have close contact with, or have sex with someone who has hepatitis A.

for more information from the state.