The World Health Organization announced, on Friday (15), its monitoring of cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children in Europe.
According to the entity, as of April 8, 74 cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, ten of which are in Scotland.
There are also reports of three confirmed cases in Spain and at least six under investigation in Ireland.
According to the World Health Organization, it is “very likely” that more cases of the disease will be diagnosed in the coming days.
Laboratory tests ruled out the possibility that the disease was caused by the already known hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, E and D (when applicable).
symptoms
Symptoms of the disease include elevated levels of liver enzymes, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
In the UK, the disease has been detected in children aged 1 to 10 years. Six patients who underwent a liver transplant. So far, there have been no reports of deaths from the disease.
The World Health Organization has also reported that there have been reports of “several cases” of the new disease in children infected with the novel coronavirus and/or adenovirus, although the role of these viruses in causing disease (the mechanism by which the disease develops) remains unclear.
“WHO is closely monitoring the situation with other Member States, the United Kingdom and partners for cases with similar features,” says a WHO note urging members to be vigilant and to report similar cases.
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