The World Health Organization reported that 650 children have been diagnosed with severe hepatitis in 33 countries since early April. The disease, the WHO said, now poses a “moderate” risk to global health. Of the 650 cases, 38 children required liver transplants and nine died. More than half of the cases come from Europe. Adenovirus, a common pathogen found in children, has been detected in more than half of recent cases, but the cause of severe acute hepatitis is still unknown and is being investigated. The WHO said in a statement that the adenovirus does not fully explain the increase in the severity of the cases. The WHO described the cases as “more clinically severe” and more likely to cause “acute liver failure” than previous reports of hepatitis in children.
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