Reports of unexplained Hepatitis are on the rise throughout the world. More than 200 instances have been reported worldwide, including at least 30 cases of severe hepatitis in children in ten US states, 34 cases in the United Kingdom, and more than 55 probable and confirmed hepatitis cases in children in 12 European Union or European Economic Area nations. Cases of acute hepatitis were also recorded in Asia, with Japan and Singapore each reporting one case of acute hepatitis.

Even though the total number of cases in the world remains small, the severity of the cases is raising alarm among health officials as the reason remains unknown. Mostly children between one month to sixteen years are being affected. According to a World Health Organization advisory issued on April 23, at least 17 people worldwide have required liver transplants. These instances tested negative for other common viruses that can cause hepatitis in children, and the WHO has ruled out a relationship between these cases and COVID-19 vaccination because the majority of the children affected have not been vaccinated.

According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on April 29, adenovirus was detected in the blood samples of all nine children. Adenovirus type 41, which is a prevalent cause of acute gastroenteritis in children, was found in five of the nine children. None of the kids tested positive for COVID-19, and none of them had a history of COVID-19 infection. The CDC has advised immediate reporting of any child with an unexplained liver problem. (Medscape Medical News, May 03, 2022)