There are currently over 160 children diagnosed with sudden onset hepatitis in the UK, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has shown that an additional 18 cases have been recorded since Tuesday, May 3. From the 160, 11 children have needed a liver transplant. None of the children have died.
Across the rest of the world, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said there are around 300 probable cases of severe hepatitis in children in 20 countries worldwide. The cause of an increase in the condition is currently unknown, but health officials are investigating, Wales Online reports.
Officials predict the surge could be caused by a common virus called adenovirus, which surged after the pandemic. This is because the virus is the most detected virus in those samples that have been tested.
