An investigation has been launched into a cluster of heart infections in babies in south Wales. One of the ten babies affected sadly died, and another remains in hospital.
The cases of severe enterovirus infections with myocarditis happened from June, 2022, and affected babies under 28 days old. There was then a peak in November and 10 babies in this cluster developed myocarditis.
Enterovirus is a common infection of childhood which can cause a range of symptoms. It rarely affects the heart, with most babies and children recovering completely. However, in very young babies, enterovirus can cause severe illness in the first few weeks of life, according to the Welsh Government.
