One child has died and almost 200 others have become sick in a recent mysterious spread of severe hepatitis.
Health authorities are baffled by the recent spread of hepatitis. The origins of which are currently unknown but the potentially deadly strain has been detected in at least 12 countries.
Australian Centre for Hepatitis Virology president Dr Thomas Tu told 7NEWS that without knowing the origins of the strain it’s difficult to determine how it differs from known variants of the virus.
“Adenovirus is one of the major hypotheses being pursued,” Tu said.
“This is a fairly common virus that’s already out there and circulating, that’s associated with usually diarrhoea or other adenoviruses are associated with the common cold.”
Hepatitis symptoms are very similar to many other common illnesses. Symptoms parents can look out for in their children are fevers, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, loss of appetite or nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting.
More to come.
