Dozens of hepatitis A cases reported in the Tel Aviv area in Israel since last year may be linked to vegetables health officials say, according to a Haaretz report Friday.

Israeli health officials say since the beginning of 2012, there have been 69 cases of the viral liver disease reported from the area, with the majority reported in the latter half of the year.

The Global Dispatch says this is a dramatic increase from the seven cases reported in all of 2011.

According to the report, Health Ministry officials believe the source may be vegetables sold in open-air markets in the south of the city.