The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned parents to keep an eye out for a key hepatitis symptom after recording a further 25 cases of the condition in children aged 10 and under.
The total number of cases all across the UK has now reached 222, as of Wednesday, May 25. Of the hepatitis cases that have been detected, 158 are in England with 31 in Scotland, 17 in Wales and 16 in Northern Ireland, according to the UKHSA.
The majority of cases of student onset hepatitis have been detected in children under five, who exhibit initial symptoms of gastroenteritis illness - diarrhoea and nausea- followed by symptoms of jaundice. Currently, no children have died as a result of the illness.
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Parents are being urged to take a close look at their children's eyes if they are concerned about the illness. Jaundice is a condition where the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow, often as a result of hepatitis. Despite the striking symptoms it causes, the condition is not inherently life-threatening and doesn't usually need to be treated.
Dr Renu Bindra, the UKHSA’s incident director, said parents should be “alert” to the symptoms of hepatitis.
"Our investigations continue to suggest an association with adenovirus, and we are exploring this link, along with other possible contributing factors including prior infections such as Covid," Dr Bindra said. "We are working with other countries who are also seeing new cases to share information and learn more about these infections.
"The likelihood of children developing hepatitis remains extremely low. Maintaining normal hygiene measures, including making sure children regularly wash their hands properly, helps to reduce the spread of many common infections, including adenovirus.
"We continue to remind everyone to be alert to the signs of hepatitis, particularly jaundice – look for a yellow tinge in the whites of the eyes, and contact your doctor if you are concerned.”
While the UKHSA is investigating whether prior coronavirus infection is behind the rise in hepatitis cases, it has noted that there is "no evidence" of the condition being linked to Covid vaccinations.
Symptoms of hepatitis in children
Hepatitis refers to a group of illnesses that causes inflammation in the liver. There are five types of hepatitis which are grouped into letters: A, B, C, D and E.
According to the NHS, hepatitis can cause a range of symptoms, including:
- muscle and joint pain
- a high temperature
- feeling and being sick
- feeling unusually tired all the time
- a general sense of feeling unwell
- loss of appetite
- tummy pain
- dark urine
- pale, grey-coloured poo
- itchy skin
- yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
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