Hepatitis cases in the UK have risen to 197, the UK Heath Security Agency said today.
In their most recent briefing on the rise of sudden onset hepatitis in children, it also found that majority of those affected are under five years of age.
Between the most recent update on May 6 to the data gathered up until May 16, the UKHSA has identified a further 34 confirmed cases.
This brings the new total as of May 16 to 197.
Of those cases, 11 have received a liver transplant. No one in the UK has died.
Of the 197 UK 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.
Covid-19 has been detected in 15 per cent of UK patients.
There is no evidence of any link to the coronavirus vaccine.
The majority of cases are under five 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.
Parents are advised to go to their GP if their child develops symptoms of hepatitis. Symptoms of hepatitis can include: Pale, grey-coloured poo (stools), dark urine, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice).
If their child has any of these three symptoms, they should contact their GP without delay.
The GP will assess the child and refer on for further assessment as indicated.
Other symptoms 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, and itchy skin.
Parents are advised to go to their GP if their child develops symptoms of hepatitis.
The GP will assess the child and refer on for further assessment as indicated.
If your child is unwell with respiratory or diarrheal or hepatitis symptoms keep your child at home and do not send them to creche/preschool/school until they are better.
Good respiratory and hand hygiene, including supervising hand washing in young children, can help to prevent adenovirus and other infections that can cause hepatitis.
Dr Renu Bindra, a Senior Medical Advisor 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."
