By the end of September 2026, health officials in the South Moravian Region had recorded 502 cases of hepatitis, most of them in Brno and its surroundings, and said the number of cases has been rising again since September.
Health officials in the South Moravian Region recorded 502 cases of hepatitis from the start of 2026 to the end of September. Of these, more than 300 cases occurred in Brno and roughly one hundred in the Brno area; in the other parts of the region there were dozens of cases.[1][2] The regional public health station reported on the situation on 8 October 2026.
The most cases were added at the beginning of the year, and their number gradually fell. Over the summer holidays a low few dozen were added, but in September the number began to rise again.[1] The largest number of infected people is in the 35 to 44 age group. About a third are homeless or unemployed people and a tenth are schoolchildren; cases have also appeared in kindergartens and among seniors.[1][2]
Renata Ciupek, head of the epidemic control department of the health station, said the core of the problem lies in Brno and its surroundings. She linked the rise since September to people returning from holidays and to movement through transport hubs, where more people gather and do not always have a chance to wash their hands.[1][2]
Background
The hepatitis epidemic in Czechia began in 2025, when the number of diagnosed cases of hepatitis A in the country reached 3,253, of which 221 were in South Moravia. Prague was the most affected area at that time; in 2026, according to Novinky.cz, the situation shifted to South Moravia, where Brno and its surroundings are the most affected.[1][2]
Measures
Health officials are working with local authorities and with the Brno transit company. If the situation does not improve, according to Ciupek they are to issue information ahead of mass events, for example before Christmas markets and the St. Martin wine festival. Lenka Živělová, head of the public health protection and promotion section, said event organisers themselves contact the health officials and ask about suitable preventive measures.[2]
Health officials recommend vaccination, especially for people working in gastronomy, catering facilities, school and hospital kitchens and social services. According to Ciupek, restrictive measures do not apply to vaccinated people; unvaccinated workers must be taken off work for several weeks after infection or a risk contact.[1][2] The recommendations also include washing hands with soap and warm water after using the toilet and before eating, and not sharing food, drinks or towels.[1][2]
Related articles: Brno, South Moravian Region
Chronology
- — Health officials in the South Moravian Region recorded 502 cases of hepatitis from the start of 2026 to the end of September, more than 300 of them in Brno, and said the number of cases has been rising again since September. Novinky.cz iDNES.cz: Brno
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Sources
- Novinky.cz — 8 October 2026
- iDNES.cz: Brno — 8 October 2026