Health officials are now aware of 16 confirmed cases of hepatitis in young people in Northern Ireland, it's been confirmed.
Hepatitis is the term used to describe inflammation of the liver and is usually the result of a viral infection.
Symptoms include yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), muscle and joint pain and a general sense of feeling unwell.
Read more: Belfast parents' heartache after toddler contracts hepatitis
The parents of a toddler who recently contracted hepatitis spoke to Belfast Live about their ordeal in hope that they can raise awareness for the symptoms and give parents some hope.
Fiadh Castle-Smith needed a liver transplant after she contracted hepatitis - which caused her skin and the whites of her eyes to turn yellow.
The two-year-old from Belfast, who is now recovering at home with her parents, was extremely unwell and airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital in April.
Fiadh's parents said: "We want to raise awareness about hepatitis and the symptoms associated with it - we wouldn't want this to happen to any other child.
"It's also give hop to other people who may be going through this. Fiadh is that hope. She is a miracle."
Dr Gillian Armstrong, Interim Joint Head of Health Protection at the PHA, said: “We are working with public health colleagues in England, Scotland and Wales to investigate a wide range of possible factors which may be causing children to be admitted to hospital with liver inflammation known as hepatitis.
"One of the possible causes being investigated is that this is linked to adenovirus infection. However, other potential causes are also being thoroughly investigated. There is no link to the Covid-19 vaccine.
"Hand hygiene along with respiratory hygiene is the most important method of preventing and controlling the spread of infections that we are investigating. We are asking parents to:
- Encourage children to wash hands regularly;
- Make sure your child carries tissues at all times;
- Teach children to cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and to use a tissue which is disposed of quickly and carefully in a bin;
"We are also reminding parents to be aware of the symptoms of hepatitis. If you have a child who is showing signs of jaundice where the skin or whites of the eyes have a yellow tinge, then you should contact your GP or other healthcare professional."
An NHS spokesperson said: "The number of cases of hepatitis in children has increased recently. Public health doctors and scientists are looking into what could be causing this.
"See a GP if your child has symptoms of hepatitis, including yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)."
Short-term, or acute hepatitis often has no noticeable symptoms, so you may not realise you have it, health officials have warned.
If symptoms do develop, they can include:
- 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)
See your GP if you have any persistent or troublesome symptoms that you think could be caused by hepatitis.
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