OTTAWA – The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is considering reports of severe acute hepatitis or inflammation of the liver among young children in Canada.
The Federal Agency says the cases are being investigated to determine whether they are related to those in the United Kingdom and the United States.
A spokesman did not share more details, such as the number of cases, the children’s age or health.
British health officials said they were investigating what was behind the peak there, noting that there was growing evidence that the cases could be linked to a common virus.
The UK Health Security Agency said earlier that it had registered 111 cases of unexplained hepatitis in children under the age of 10 since January. Ten of the children needed a liver transplant. The UN Health Agency said it had so far received reports of at least 169 cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” and that one death had been reported.
Although it is not clear what causes the disease, the leading suspect is the adenovirus, which was found in 75% of confirmed tested cases, according to a statement from the British agency on Monday.
Adenovirus, a common group of viruses, is now circulating in children with higher than average levels after falling to unusually low levels during the pandemic.
One of the ways of investigation that is being studied is that the outbreak may be associated with an increase in common viral infections after the gradual removal of restrictions on COVID-19. Children who have not been exposed to adenovirus in the last two years may now be more affected when exposed to the virus.
There are dozens of adenoviruses, many of which are associated with symptoms such as colds, fevers, sore throats and pink eyes.
U.S. officials said earlier this month that they were investigating a group of otherwise unexplained cases of hepatitis diagnosed in nine Alabama children who also tested positive for adenovirus.
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