THE UNEXPLAINED HEPATITIS OUTBREAK IN CHILDREN IS HITTING MORE STATES

CDC investigating more than 100 cases of unexplained hepatitis in children, including 5 deaths

"It's important to note that this is an evolving situation, and we are casting a wide net to help broaden our understanding," said Dr. Jay B

6ABC PHILADELPHIA

Anyone with children (and society in general) are finding these reports alarming.. we have been following for weeks now..

It was predictable that more cases would emerge.. the extent of how far reaching this potentially new virus or just stronger strain of a virus is yet to be determined. But the high number of healthy kids who needed a liver transplant is disconcerting..

Cases are under investigation in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

The CDC’s alert followed reports of children from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland going to hospitals with unexplained hepatitis.

As of May 1, there are 228 probable cases linked to the outbreak in 20 countries, with more than 50 cases under investigation, Dr. Philippa Easterbrook, a senior scientist in the World Health Organization’s Global Hepatitis Program, said in a briefing Wednesday. Among these cases, one child has died, and about 18 have needed liver transplants, she said.

Most of the children were healthy when they developed symptoms that included fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain, dark urine, light-colored stools and yellowing of their skin and eyes – a sign called jaundice.