Society

Japan's health ministry reports child has unidentified acute hepatitis

Apr 26 (NHK) - Japan's Health Ministry says a child has been hospitalized with an unidentified type of acute hepatitis. It states that the patient's symptoms are similar to those recently exhibited by children in other countries.

This is the first patient in Japan who appears to have the same type of hepatitis as overseas cases.

The World Health Organization says cases of hepatitis of unknown aetiology in children have been reported mainly in Britain.

The global body says at least 169 similar cases had been reported in 12 countries, including the United States and Spain, as of April 21. The cases reported involved children one month old to 16 years old. It says one child has died, and 17 have had liver transplants.

The WHO says none of the common hepatitis viruses, A through E, have been detected.

Japan's Health Ministry disclosed on Monday that the hospitalized child is aged 16 or under. But it did not reveal further details, such as the patient's gender or place of residence.

Officials say the patient tested negative for the coronavirus and the adenovirus, which causes sore throats. The adenovirus was detected in more than 40 percent of the overseas cases.

Source: 日テレNEWS

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