Hep A outbreak stops outbreaking

There’s good news coming from state health officials, who proclaimed Hawaii to be in the “mop-up” stage of the hepatitis A outbreak.

The incubation period has ended for illnesses emerging from that tainted batch of scallops served at a sushi restaurant chain. It’s possible that a missed case, or a patient who caught the virus from one of its original victims, will pop up. But people in the know say those kinds of cases are rare.

So now we hope that there will be more vigilant handling of raw seafoods — or foods in general — and ever-more-effective ways of detecting sources of infectious agents discovered in the future.

Of course, putting a stop to our collective desire to eat raw seafood would stop the problem, too. But in Hawaii, that seems a long shot.

Rescued dogs rescued again

Opening no-kill animal rescue shelters is an honorable endeavor, but those who do must still be mindful of the care those animals receive.

So it was troubling to hear that 250 dogs were seized Wednesday from the nonprofit Friends for Life, an animal shelter in Makaha.

Hawaiian Humane Society spokeswoman Suzy Tam said the animals were being held in deplorable conditions, contaminated with feces and urine. Honolulu police executed a search warrant and arrested a 60-year-old man for investigation of one count of second-degree animal cruelty.

Let’s hope all 250 dogs eventually find forever homes.