Covid Connection Behind Hepatitis Outbreak In Kids?

The global outbreak of hepatitis in children is a real worry, especially among parents and grandparents, raising the spectre of another Covid.

- Dr Miriam Stoppard

There have been 650 suspected cases globally and more than 250 of those were in the UK. So far no precise cause has been found for this liver inflammation – but research is giving us some clues.

Worldwide, at least 38 children have required liver transplants, and 10 deaths have been reported. Cases in the UK involve children aged between one month and 16 years, but three- quarters were under five. A dozen have so far required liver transplants here after developing symptoms.

Muge Cevik, a lecturer in infectious diseases at St Andrews University said in the BMJ that gastro symptoms are common, including vomiting, pale stools, diarrhoea and jaundice. Fever and respiratory symptoms have been reported less often.