Hepatitis A Outbreak in Philadelphia Leaves City Scrambling

Philadelphia isn't the first city to deal with a Hepatitis A outbreak after wavering on the question of whether to deploy public bathrooms and hygiene stations

1 minute read

August 2, 2019, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Philadelphia Homeless

Bumble Dee / Shutterstock

The city of Philadelphia is dealing with a worsening outbreak of hepatitis A, with 117 confirmed cases this year to date—in a city that normally sees a maximum of six cases a year.

Jake Blumgart reports on the ongoing health crisis in Philadelphia, where the city is responding by deploying public bathrooms and stand-alone hand-washing facilities.

"Kensington, ground zero of the region’s opioid crisis, where many people struggling with addiction live on the streets, has grappled with poop on the street, in parks and on porches for years. Hepatitis A spreads primarily through contact with fecal matter," writes Blumgart.

The article includes personal testimony of encounters with the disease, as well as a recent history of the politics surrounding public restrooms in Kensington. "Community leaders were originally split over the question [of placing public bathrooms in Kensington], with some fearing that public restrooms would encourage more people to stay in the neighborhood," according to Blumgart.

Hepatitis A outbreaks have followed large homeless populations with greater frequency in recent years, inspiring some action toward the installation of public hygiene and homeless support facilities in cities like San Diego and Los Angeles.

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 in PlanPhilly

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Red 1972 Ford Pinto with black racing stripes on display with man sitting in driver's seat.

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto

The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

February 11, 2025 - Mother Jones

Close-up of smartphone with USDOT website pulled up and screen with USDOT logo in background.

DOT Memo Directs Transportation Funding to Communities With Higher Marriage and Birth Rates, Compliance with Immigration Officials and No Mask Mandates

The memo ties immigration enforcement to federal funding and prohibits mask or vaccine mandates.

February 5, 2025 - Huffpost

View of Seattle skyline on clear sunny day with Space Needle on left and Mount Rainier in the background.

Housing Measure Wins in Seattle Special Election

Voters approved a new tax that could bring in $50 million per year for social housing.

February 16 - King 5 News

Wildfire recovery area with small trees growing in burn areas in Angeles National Forest in California.

Resilient Communities, Healthy Ecosystems: A Balanced Approach to Wildfires

Effective wildfire mitigation in California requires a holistic approach that goes beyond large-scale vegetation removal, emphasizing home hardening, defensible space, strategic planning, and reducing human-caused ignitions.

February 16 - UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

Two-way protected bike lane on wide street in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida with high-riise buildings in background.

St. Petersburg’s Bike Infrastructure Efforts Pay Off

New bike infrastructure is encouraging more people to take to the streets on two wheels, but advocates say safety challenges remain.

February 16 - The Crow's Nest

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.