According to Health Minister, an 11-month-old boy in Sabah, aged 4, contracted unexplained hepatitis and suffered from jaundice, fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. The boy underwent a liver transplant at the Klang Valley Hospital on March 30 and was discharged on April 21.
He noted that the boy had contracted covid disease and had no other medical history and the investigation was still ongoing.
There have been several outbreaks of unexplained acute hepatitis in children around the world, and as of May 1, there have been unexplained cases of acute hepatitis in children in more than 20 countries. Two hundred and twenty-eight cases have been notified to the WHO, including four deaths.
According to WHO, the affected children are between the ages of one month and 16 years. Most infected children initially present with vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by the classic symptoms of acute hepatitis, including jaundice.
Experts are concerned that the cause of this wave of acute hepatitis infection in children is unknown, that most cases are in healthy children, and that the rate of severe illness following the onset of the disease is unusually high. Nearly 10% of patients require a liver transplant.
The causative agent of the unknown hepatitis is not yet known, nor is the route of transmission or infectivity of the virus. Until more data are available, parents are urged to ensure that their children wear masks and practice personal hygiene when outdoors. Adenovirus is usually spread through respiratory droplets or through contact with contaminated surfaces and people, and then with the mouth, nose or eyes. Wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene are effective measures to avoid contracting similar viruses.
