New warning as 6 kids need liver transplants amid mystery hepatitis outbreak

SIX children have had to receive liver transplants after contracting hepatitis, it has been revealed.

There have been 74 cases of the illness detected in the UK, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) says more are on the way.

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Hepatitis can, in serious cases, lead to liver failure and experts have not yet pinned down the reason for the mysterious outbreak.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are investigating a range of causes for the outbreak, such as adenoviruses, Covid-19, other infections and environmental causes.

The WHO is now closely monitoring cases that have been detected across all four nations.

On April 5, the WHO was told about 10 cases of severe acute hepatitis in youngsters in Scotland.

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Three days later the organisation said it had been notified about 74 cases across the UK.

Now medics at the WHO have warned that more cases are likely to be reported in the coming days.

Of the 74 cases reported, the WHO said, some have had to be transferred to specialist children’s liver units and six children have had liver transplants.

Cases have now also been detected in Ireland and medics there are investigating.

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Three cases of acute hepatitis have also been reported in children in Spain.

Lab tests have excluded hepatitis type A, B, C, and E viruses in these cases, WHO said, and further tests for additional infections, chemicals and toxins are under way.

While the experts are investigating possible ties to Covid-19, officials said there is 'no link' to vaccines as the children diagnosed with hepatitis did not have a jab.

Adenoviruses are also being investigated and these are a group of viruses that cause a range of mild illnesses and most people recover without any complications.

If you have caught a virus like this then you will likely experience symptoms such as colds, sickness and diarrhoea.

The viruses don't causes hepatitis, but are a known side effect.

As more cases of hepatitis have been identified, parents of young children have been urged to watch out for the key signs of the illness.

The 10 main hepatitis symptoms are:

1. dark urine
2. pale, grey-coloured poo
3. itchy skin
4. yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
5. muscle and joint pain
6. a high temperature
7. feeling and being sick
8. feeling unusually tired all the time
9. loss of appetite
10. tummy pain

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Long-term hepatitis can also develop without any symptoms, until the liver fails completely, so it is sometimes only caught in blood tests.

It's important to note that these 10 symptoms might not always been down to hepatitis and that if you child has unusual symptoms then you should see your GP.