COVID Isn’t the Only Virus to Guard Against—Especially in Children Right Now

While the world’s attention continues to be consumed by the ever-fluctuating COVID-19 situation, another deadly virus has started making its way around the globe. And, unlike SARS-CoV-2, this one has shown to be a threat to children from the start. As the World Health Organization confirmed the death of at least one child from acute hepatitis of unknown origin, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging clinicians here to be vigilant for symptoms of pediatric hepatitis. So far, cases in children from 1 month to 16 years of age have turned up in the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Romania, Belgium, and the U.S. In addition to the one death, 17 patients have had to undergo a liver transplant. Adenovirus has been detected in at least 74 of the children diagnosed with hepatitis, while COVID-19 was diagnosed in 20 others and another 19 children were diagnosed with hepatitis, adenovirus, and COVID-19. Symptoms to watch out for include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice.