At least 650 children have been diagnosed with a mysterious and severe hepatitis infection since early April, according to the World Health Organization. The cases, which have so far baffled health officials, have been reported in 33 different countries.
At least 38 children have undergone a transplant and nine have died, according to a WHO statement on Friday. There are also 99 cases pending classification.
European countries have reported the majority of cases, with 222 probable cases reported in the UK and Northern Ireland. Cases were also reported in North America, Argentina, the Western Pacific, Southeast Asia, and the Eastern Mediterranean region.
CDC probes spread of hepatitis in children 00:30
According to case data in Europe, 75% of children were under 5 years old. Of the 181 cases tested for adenovirus, 60% were positive. Of the 188 cases tested by COVID-19, 12% were positive. And of the 63 cases that had vaccination data against VOCID, 84% were unvaccinated.
In this outbreak of severe acute hepatitis, the cases have been more severe and “a higher proportion develops acute liver failure compared to previous reports of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children,” the WHO said.
“While adenovirus is a plausible hypothesis as part of the pathogenesis mechanism, there is more research on the causative agent; adenovirus infection (which usually causes self-limiting mild gastrointestinal or respiratory infections in young children) is not fully explained. the most serious clinical picture observed in these cases, “said the WHO.
Earlier this week, CBS News spoke with the family of a 2-year-old boy who was diagnosed with severe hepatitis and underwent a liver transplant at Masonic Children’s Hospital M Health Fairview of Minneapolis.
Before Baelyn Schwab’s diagnosis was confirmed, the family “had no idea what was going on” during the first three days she was hospitalized, said her mother, Kelsea Schwab.
“Then all of a sudden, the next day it hit and everything came out [into] chaos, “he said.” His labs exploded. Neurologically, she was not 100% there. It was very hard. You see your child deteriorating in front of your eyes like overnight. “
The cause of the outbreak is still being investigated and the WHO classifies the overall level of risk as moderate.
The CDC says parents should watch for the following symptoms:
- fever
- fatigue
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- vomiting
- A stomachache
- dark urine
- light colored stools
- joint pain
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
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Sophie Reardon
Sophie Reardon is a news editor at CBS News. Contact her at sophie.reardon@viacomcbs.com