Children under the age of five are being hit by the mystery hepatitis outbreak
(Picture: PA Wire)More than 190 children have now been identified with sudden onset hepatitis in the UK.
Of them, 11 have needed a liver transplant.
An update from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a further 21 cases recorded as of May 16 compared to May 10, bringing the UK total to 197.
None of the children have died.
Dr Renu Bindra, senior medical adviser at UKHSA, said: “It’s important that parents know the likelihood of their child developing hepatitis is extremely low.
“However, 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.
“Our investigations continue to suggest that there is an association with adenovirus infection, but investigations continue to unpick the exact reason for the rise in cases.”
Health officials are still trying to identify the cause of the increase in the severe liver condition after the usual viruses that cause infectious hepatitis were not detected.
The investigation continues to suggest an association with adenovirus, according to the UKHSA.
Adenovirus is the most frequently detected virus in samples tested.
Among the 197 cases, 170 have been tested for adenovirus of which 116 had adenovirus detected
In 31 cases where adenovirus was not detected, 13 had not had whole blood sample testing, and therefore it is not possible to definitively rule out adenovirus in these cases.
So far, Covid has been detected in 15 per cent of UK patients with available results.
There is no evidence of any link to the Covid-19 vaccine as the majority of cases are under 5 years old and are too young to have received the vaccine.
Following further investigation, there is no evidence linking dog ownership and cases of hepatitis in children, the health agency added.
Jaundice and vomiting, two tell-tale signs the liver is struggling, are the most common symptoms experienced by the children affected.
