https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10751175/US-cases-child-hepatitis-reach-11-global-toll-hitting-169-including-one-death.html
The United States has now recorded 11 cases of unexplained hepatitis in children, as the global toll hits 169 and the first death is registered — with doctors warning Covid may be behind the spate of illnesses.
North Carolina has detected two cases in school-age children, on top of the nine spotted among under-6s in Alabama since October. Health officials say both have recovered, and did not need liver transplants.
Doctors are not yet sure what is triggering the outbreak, although Covid is yet to be ruled out as a possible cause of the inflammatory liver disease.
In Israel, 11 of the 12 sick children tested positive for the virus in the last year. In Britain — which was first to detect the outbreak — scientists are still considering Covid as a possible cause. It is the second most common virus patients test positive for, behind adenovirus which is often behind the common cold.
Dr Muge Cevik, an infectious diseases expert at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, said today: 'Acute severe hepatitis has not been a common feature of Covid in children, so it's less likely to explain this presentation.
'Adenovirus [Common cold virus] was detected in 40 of 53 cases, but not all cases are tested. Adenovirus testing has been inconsistent in other samples, and it's too early to confirm characterization. It's important for all countries to share their data once available.'
The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported the 'acute hepatitis of unknown origin' has led to 17 liver transplants. A total of 20 cases tested positive for Covid, with 19 having a co-infection with both Covid and adenovirus. The other virus has been detected in 74 cases.
Cases were detected in children aged one month to 16, the majority of whom have been hospitalized.
The unusual illness has also been spotted in Spain, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Norway, Romania and Belgium.
UK health officials have ruled out the Covid vaccine as a possible cause, with none of the British cases so far having been vaccinated because of their young age. None of the cases in the US were among vaccinated children either.