Doctors reveal likely cause of mysterious child hepatitis

The WHO has said it is monitoring cases of hepatitis in young children

- REBECCA THOMAS

At least 111 cases of sudden hepatitis in children have now been identified in Britain, doctors have revealed amid “increasing” evidence the problem is linked to adenoviruses.

The UK Health Security Agency said it cannot rule out other possible causes such as Covid, which it is also investigating, but that an adenovirus has been identified in 40 out of the 53 cases so far tested.

In Britain, cases have reached 81 in England, 14 in Scotland, 11 in Wales and five in Northern Ireland, with the majority of patients under five years old.

No children in the UK have died, it was confirmed, after the World Health Organisation said there had been 169 cases globally with at least one child who had died from the illness.

Eleven children have so far required a “super urgent” liver transplant within the past three months due to the virus.

It represents a surge in transplant need in Britain, where there are usually fewer than 80 children's liver transplants each year.