To date, approximately 190 cases of the acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children have been registered worldwide, 40 of which have occurred in European Union countries and Norway. This was announced by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Tuesday.
“Cases have been discovered in ten countries of the EU and the EEA (European Economic Area, in this case Norway, ed.), but also in the United States and Israel,” ECDC director Andrea Ammon said at a press conference. in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, without giving more details.
The cause of acute liver disease in children is still unknown. “The investigations are still ongoing,” Ammon said. As a potential culprit, the focus is mainly on an adenovirus. ECDC continues to closely monitor developments together with the World Health Organization (WHO).
No connection has been found with any of the corona vaccines. So far, no other epidemiological risk factor, such as a recent trip abroad, has been identified either.
So far, at least seventeen children have undergone liver transplants because of the mysterious disease. One child has died.
The first case of hepatitis of unknown origin was discovered in Belgium last week.