The World Health Organization revealed that an outbreak of mysterious hepatitis in children has now been monitored in 20 countries, explaining that at least 228 cases of hepatitis have been discovered, most cases in Europe, but some in the Americas, the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia.
The recent global outbreak has baffled scientists who do not yet know the cause, and the World Health Organization confirmed that 8 other countries reported cases of mysterious hepatitis in children in the past week, bringing the total number of countries with cases to 20 countries.
Globally, 228 children developed an unusual type of liver disease, and 50 other suspected cases were being investigated, one death was confirmed but 4 were suspected, and 18 children required a liver transplant..
Experts say the current number might be the “tip of the iceberg”, with many countries now only ramping up surveillance for unusual complications. Most cases have so far been detected in Europe but others are in the Americas, the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia..
Scientists are baffled by the large number of cases, because none of the infected children tested positive for the natural viruses that cause hepatitis, and adenoviruses – which usually cause colds and stomach diseases – are believed to be the cause, although they rarely cause hepatitis..
There are fears that the closure has weakened children’s immunity to naturally benign viruses, and investigations are also looking into whether there is a mutated adenovirus or because of corona, but UK scientists have acknowledged that it may take at least 3 months for health chiefs to know exactly what’s behind. Case Series.
“As of May 1, at least 228 probable cases from 20 countries have been reported to WHO, with more than 50 additional cases under investigation,” WHO spokesman Tarik Yasarevich told reporters in Geneva.“Most of the cases were detected in the UK (145) and the US (20), which have some of the strongest surveillance systems in place.
And it announced earlier that cases of “unknown source” hepatitis were confirmed in Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands, in addition to Israel, Denmark, Norway and Romania, in its first update on the outbreak. Lever Inflammation Since April 23, the World Health Organization has said cases have spread to 8 other countries.
The organization did not disclose which countries have reported additional cases, but other health authorities have made discoveries in Austria, Germany, Poland, Japan and Canada, while Singapore is investigating a possible case of a 10-month-old baby..
Indonesia said yesterday that 3 children died of suspected hepatitis of an unknown cause.
145 children in Britain, mainly aged 5 years and under, initially developed diarrhea and nausea, followed by jaundice – yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes..
The World Health Organization confirmed one death, although it did not reveal the location, one death is being investigated in the United States, along with 3 in Indonesia..
And the heads of health in the United Kingdom confirmed, that no deaths from hepatitis were recorded in Britain.
The youngsters in Indonesia, aged between 2, 8 and 11, have fever and jaundice, as well as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and dark-colored urine..
The country’s health chiefs suspect the cases were hepatitis, but are running tests to determine if the hepatitis viruses are A to me E The usual ones behind them, or whether their source is unknown.
The cases were first reported to the World Health Organization by Scotland’s chiefs of health on April 5, following they discovered 10 cases of children under the age of 10, the earliest dating back to January. A to me E Which Scotland usually records over the course of a year.
Dr Mira Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at the UK’s Health Security Agency, said: UKHSAParents may be concerned but the chance of their children contracting hepatitis is very low.
“However, we continue to remind parents to watch for signs of hepatitis – particularly jaundice, which is easy to spot as a yellowish tinge in the white of the eye – and to contact your doctor if you are concerned,” she said.
Dr Shand added: “Normal hygiene measures, including washing hands well and making sure children wash their hands properly, help reduce the spread of many common diseases. “As always, children with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea should stay home and not return to school or nursery until 48 hours following symptoms stop..”
Hepatitis is usually rare in children, but experts have already discovered more cases in the UK since January than they would normally expect within a year. More than what has been seen so far.
Professor Alistair Sutcliffe, a leading pediatrician at University College London, told health chiefs they may not know why until later this summer, adding, “With modern methods, informatics, advanced computing and PCR In real time and whole genome screening, I think it will take 3 months to find the cause with some reasonable reliability.”
Prof Sutcliffe said discovering the cause might be slowed by red tape across international borders, with difficulties in moving vital materials across countries, adding that parental consent, data protection and laws regulating the use of human tissue in the UK might all slow the research, stressing. The search for an unknown cause is particularly difficult because cases may be behind multiple factors inconsistent across all diseases, and UK health officials have also ruled out a possible cause of the Corona vaccine, as none of the British children have been vaccinated due to their young age..
An official at the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said: (ECDC) The disease is ‘very rare’ but the risk to children has been deemed high due to the potential impact.
He added that the risk to European children might not be accurately assessed because the evidence of human-to-human transmission was unclear and cases in the European Union were “scattered with an unclear trend.”“but given the unknown causes of the disease and the potential severity of the disease.
The CDC said the outbreak “is a public health event of concern.”
