WHO still investigating what could be the cause of the unexpected occurrence in children.
QUICK FACTS:
- The World Health Organization said Tuesday that there have been at least 228 probable cases of hepatitis in children and around a dozen more are being investigated, according to Yahoo News.
- Authorities worldwide are attempting to understand the reason for the sudden increase in severe hepatitis in young children as the death toll rises.
- The inflammation of the liver iconic to the illness does not typically affect young children but has claimed the lives of at least 4, according to some reports.
MORE ON THE ILLNESS & ITS SYMPTOMS:
- The severe strain of acute hepatitis that has been identified in 11 countries is of “unknown origin,” according to the WHO.
- Symptoms in children include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in addition to more traditional symptoms of liver inflammation such as fever, jaundice, convulsions, and loss of consciousness.
BACKGROUND:
- The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday that there was a small cluster of nine patients in the United States in Alabama with liver inflammation.
- Those children also tested positive for a common illness called adenovirus 41, which is known to cause gastrointestinal distress but is not typically synonymous with inflammation of the liver.
- While the cause of the uptick in cases is as yet undetermined, some experts believe that the lack of exposure to common illnesses during the pandemic lockdown could have caused weakened immune systems and higher susceptibility to the life-threatening complication.
