Authorities are scrambling to investigate the potential cause of an unusually high number of acute hepatitis cases in children around the world and the UK, which some say may be caused by COVID-19 lockdowns which have weakened immunity.
In a statement on Tuesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it working with the National Health Service (NHS) and the public health agencies of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, to investigate the potential cause of an unusually high number of acute hepatitis cases being seen in children in the past few weeks.
In the UK, as of 20 April 2022, there have been 111 cases of “hepatitis of unknown origin” identified in children aged under 16 years old, since Jan. 1. Of these cases, 10 children have received a liver transplant. No UK cases have died. A small number of children over the age of 10 are being investigated.
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