There have been cases of severe hepatitis among children in several EU and UK countries.
In Europe, multiple cases have been reported of children suffering from acute hepatitis over the past days. This was according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s (ECDPC) Monday statement.
According to the watchdog, Britain was the first country to raise the problem and has accumulated most cases. All cases from Britain were “presented clinically with severe acute hepatitis, with increased levels of liver enzymes,”Some of them also “reported gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting in the preceding weeks.”
“Following the reports of cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin by the UK Health Security Agency, additional cases in children have been reported in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain,”According to the ECDC.
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The watchdog also reported that nine children aged one through six were suffering from acute liver disease in Alabama. Transatlantic cases also test positive for Adenovirus, although it is not clear if they were related to the European epidemic.
Although the origins of acute liver disease are not yet known, the ECDC is currently conducting tests with specialists in the area to find out the causes. “Investigations are ongoing in all countries reporting cases. At present, the exact cause of hepatitis in these children remains unknown,”According to the watchdog.
The UK’s incident investigation team has concluded that the incidents could have been caused. “an infectious agent or a possible toxic exposure.”Since the cases were not all related, investigators already rule out the possibility that coronavirus vaccines might have played a role in this outbreak.
“No link to the COVID-19 vaccine was identified and detailed information collected through a questionnaire to cases about food, drink and personal habits failed to identify any common exposure,”According to the ECDC.
