At least 10 more states across the United States are reporting similar cases of severe acute hepatitis—liver disease of unknown origin—after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national health alert regarding a mysterious cluster of the virus on April 21.
The cases involve previously healthy children between the ages of 1 month to 16 years old, many of whom are suddenly developing hepatitis and displaying gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, as well as jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes.
Doug Schultz, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Health, told local TV station KSTP-TV on April 30 that it is investigating several cases of unexplained hepatitis in children.
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