Dr Bonnie Henry told reporters that none of the possible cases of severe acute hepatitis or inflammation of the liver are in BC. and is not in a position to determine exactly where they are or how many. Health officials are developing common case reporting forms and test algorithms that will be used across the country, Henry said. “We will be watching it very closely,” Henry said. “As we begin to look more closely at things, there is clearly a chance that we will find some cases.” Nearly 200 cases of sudden liver disease have been reported in children in at least 12 countries and at least one person has died, prompting health authorities to look for the cause. British health officials said they were investigating what was hidden behind a spike there, noting that there was growing evidence that the cases could be linked to a common virus. The main suspect is the adenovirus, which was found in 75 per cent of confirmed cases, the UK Health and Safety Administration said in a statement on Monday. U.S. authorities said this month they were investigating a group of unexplained cases of hepatitis diagnosed in nine Alabama children who also tested positive for the adenovirus. Two other theories suggest that the disease is caused by a toxin or viral co-infection with COVID-19, which has been linked to inflammation in other parts of the body, Henry said. On Wednesday, the Public Health Service of Canada announced that it was examining reports of liver inflammation among young children in Canada and was investigating any links with the United Kingdom and the United States. Henry said health officials were examining case data around the world. A task force is working on case definitions based on what health authorities in the United Kingdom and the United States in particular see, he added. The first cases probably occurred in October, he said, and about 10 percent of children needed liver transplants, Henry said. “These kids get very sick with gastrointestinal diseases, so things like abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever and then develop into jaundice or yellowing of the skin and eyes very quickly,” he said. The common viruses that cause infectious inflammation of the liver – hepatitis A to E – have not been identified in more than 100 cases under investigation in the United Kingdom. The disease is not linked to COVID-19 vaccines, Henry added, as the majority of sick children are under 6 years old and therefore not suitable for vaccines. – Amy Smart in Vancouver with files from the Associated Press RELATED: Pregnant BC with Zika virus begs the fiancé to be left in Canada Health
