Over 1,000 recorded cases of mysterious child hepatitis outbreak globally: WHO
Over 1,000 probable cases of unexplained severe acute hepatitis in children have been recorded in 35 countries since the outbreak was first detected in April, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.
As of July 8, 1,010 cases have been recorded and 22 children have died. Almost half of the probable cases were reported in Europe, accounting for 484 cases (recorded in 21 European countries), followed by 435 cases in the Americas (334 recorded in the US alone), and 272 cases in the United Kingdom.
For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
17 countries have so far reported over five probable cases.
“The actual number of cases may be underestimated, in part due to the limited enhanced surveillance systems in place. The case count is expected to change as more information and verified data become available,” WHO cautioned in a statement on Tuesday, adding that the risk of this pediatric hepatitis outbreak spreading is “moderate.”
The United Nations health agency has been keeping a close eye on the matter – in addition to dealing with the COVID-19 and monkeypox outbreaks – as the spread of the mysterious virus has left dozens of previously healthy children in need of liver transplants.
The most commonly reported symptoms were nausea or vomiting, jaundice, general weakness, and abdominal pain, according to the currently available clinical data. The average time between exhibiting symptoms and hospitalization was four days.
The health body said that hepatitis A to E were not present in the affected children who underwent laboratory testing. Other pathogens such as the coronavirus were detected in some cases, but the data is incomplete.
WHO said the “most frequently detected pathogen” however were adenoviruses – a virus which causes a wide range of illnesses like fever, colds, pneumonia, and sore throats.
“Due to limited adenovirus surveillance in most countries, it is challenging to assess whether these rates are higher than the expected rates in the population,” the UN health body said.
Read more:
Three children in Indonesia die of acute hepatitis in April
Global crises, weak economic recovery delay time for gender parity to 132 years: WEF
Scared of needles? Inhalable COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in new study
-
COVID-19 still global health emergency: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that COVID-19 remains a global emergency, nearly two and a half years after it was first ... World News -
More than 6,000 monkeypox cases reported globally, another emergency meeting set: WHO
More than 6,000 cases of monkeypox have now been reported from 58 countries in the current outbreak, according to the World Health Organization.The UN ... World News -
Three children in Indonesia die of acute hepatitis in April
Three pediatric patients in Indonesia died from acute hepatitis in April, the country’s health ministry said, boosting the global death toll from the ... World News