Hepatitis warning


The crew health team at UK P&I Club has called for greater crew education on hepatitis. It warned: “Medical examination results, obtained from the UK P&I Club PEME clinic network, indicate 10.1 per cent of cases of crew unfitness are related to hepatitis, with 8.5 per cent of the total crew found unfit due to hepatitis B. With such high rates of infection among seafarers, it is vital that crew are informed on hepatitis. Having a greater knowledge of the disease’s symptoms, method of transmission, measures of prevention and treatment will allow crew to minimise the risk of original infection or consequent spread, creating a healthier and safer work environment.”