Global health officials have identified 650 probable cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin among children in 33 countries, the World Health Organization said May 27.
Five things to know:
1. The 650 cases were reported between April 5 and May 26, and an additional 99 cases are still under investigation.
2. The U.S. has reported 216 probable hepatitis cases, accounting for one-third of the global tally.
3. Of the 650 children affected, at least 38 have required liver transplants and nine have died.
4. Researchers across the globe are still investigating the cause of the hepatitis outbreak. The leading hypothesis is that an adenovirus and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may be causing hepatitis in children.
5. The WHO is also investigating whether the reported cases represent an uptick from historic baseline levels, as these types of hepatitis cases have occurred before but were rare.