The outbreak of acute hepatitis in young children is not linked to Covid-19, according to UK experts who believe they have identified the cause of the recent spate of mysterious liver problems affecting young children around the world.
Two teams of researchers from London and Glasgow say that their investigations suggest that two common viruses made a comeback after pandemic lockdowns ended to trigger the rare but very serious hepatitis cases.
More than 1,000 children - many under the age of five - in 35 countries are thought to have been affected with some, including 12 in the UK, needing a lifesaving liver transplant. In the UK, most of the 268 children affected by sudden-onset hepatitis have been aged under five, with nearly 40% taken to hospital needing intensive care.
