We estimate that there are approximately 48,000 women who are currently pregnant and living
in the regions of Nepal that were affected by the earthquake, with approximately 20,000 residing in
areas that were severely impacted.[1-5] Using a simple model based on past estimates of the incidence
and impacts of hepatitis E during outbreaks in refugee conditions, in the event of an outbreak 2,000 of
these women could develop symptomatic illness and jaundice that could result in miscarriage, and an
additional 510 could die from acute hepatitis E infections (simulated uncertainty; 772 to 3,003
symptomatic cases and 86 to 1,287 deaths).[6-8] Assuming full vaccination with 2 doses of vaccine and
an efficacy of 86%, this potential burden could be reduced to 289 symptomatic cases, and 71 deaths.[9]
Even a more limited vaccination campaign in the areas most severely affected by the earthquake
(Gorkha, Katmandu, Lamjung, Tanahu, Kaski, and Manang) has the potential to avert 723 symptomatic
cases and an additional 179 deaths.