A dozen cases of severe acute hepatitis have been detected in children in Canada, including one case that was listed in Quebec, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
• Read also: Unexplained hepatitis: one more death recorded in the United States, 6 in total
• Read also: Severe hepatitis in children: a link with COVID?
• Read also: Hepatitis of unknown origin: WHO has identified 348 cases
Three cases have been observed in Alberta, two in Manitoba and four in Ontario, it was specified in a press release.
Aged between one and 13 years old, the children concerned fell ill between November 3, 2021 and April 23.
“All the children have been hospitalized. Two children required liver transplants. No deaths have been reported,” federal public health said Friday.
Severe acute hepatitis is a disease considered “relatively rare” and which occurs occasionally in Canada. The cause is impossible to determine in many cases.
Other cases might be reported in the country, according to PHAC, which is working with the provinces and territories to review the records of patients treated in their territory since October 2021.
“At this time in Canada, we cannot tell if there is an increase in cases of severe acute hepatitis that are not caused by known strains of the virus that causes hepatitis in children,” said public health.
Remember that jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever and fatigue are among the few symptoms that can identify this health problem.
The majority of children recover with medical care, PHAC said.
