The WHO announced yesterday that at least one child had died amid an increase in cases of acute hepatitis from an unknown cause among minors.
The World Health Organization clarified that it was informed about 169 cases in 12 countries.
According to the organization, part of the UN system, until April 21, cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children were recorded in the United Kingdom, the USA, Spain, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Romania and Belgium.
The WHO noted that 114 of the 169 cases have been reported in the United Kingdom.
The children who developed acute hepatitis were between one month and 16 years old. The 17 were judged to need a liver transplant. No details are revealed about the child who succumbed, nor where the death was recorded.
The WHO said that in the last 74 cases, a common flu virus, known as adenovirus, was detected. Twenty of the children tested were infected with the new coronavirus; 20 had both adenovirus and COVID-19, he added.
The WHO said it was monitoring the situation closely and was working with British health authorities and other Member States and partners on cases.
U.S. health officials have issued an emergency warning, urging pediatricians to be vigilant about cases of hepatitis in minors, possibly linked to a flu virus, as part of a broader investigation into unexplained cases of acute hepatitis in children.
So far, there is no confirmed case of hepatitis in a child in Greece
Regarding Greece, the Ministry of Health is reassuring regarding the cases of hepatitis, emphasizing that it has not been identified yet. "So far, there is no case of hepatitis in children in our country confirmed by the EODY, which occurs in an outbreak in other European countries and in the USA. "All health agencies have been informed if there are symptoms in children to contact EODY and there is a complete business plan if needed," said in a statement.
Hepatitis: Where the first sign appears in children
The president of the Hellenic and World Pediatric Society, Andreas Konstantopoulos, referred to the symptoms that hepatitis can cause. Speaking to ERT, he said that the symptoms are multiple but jaundice is what parents should recognize in their children. He pointed out that jaundice "appears in the white of the eye with daylight. If it reaches high levels, it is visible on the skin and then it is late ".
"Parents should not run for a blood test if they have not seen the first sign of jaundice," said the president of the Hellenic and World Pediatric Society, reassuring: without baptizing them as hepatitis. Early diagnosis is important as it is necessary for the child to rest and abstain from activities ".
Hepatitis: What are the symptoms?
The symptoms that appear in children from hepatitis were also mentioned by the professor of Pulmonology at the University of Crete, Nikos Tzanakis, who speaking to SKAI, explained that they are tired, may have a fever, may have jaundice in their eyes and skin, their urine is brightly colored and their stools are discolored. "They may also have gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain," he said.
Source: iefimerida.gr