Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Another 36 Child Hepatitis Cases Reported By CDC
CIDRAP: CDC Reports 36 More Unexplained Hepatitis Cases In Kids, 216 Total
In an update on the unexplained hepatitis cases in children, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported 36 more potentially linked cases, raising the nation's total to 216. So far, 38 states or jurisdictions—including Puerto Rico—have reported cases. The Utah Department of Health said on Twitter today that it has identified two Utah children younger than 10 who were treated for unexplained hepatitis and that the cases are reflected in CDC's update today. Officials said the two children were hospitalized with serious liver disease and have both recovered. (5/25)
Deseret News: Two Utah Kids May Be Part Of Mysterious Global Hepatitis Outbreak
Two young Utah children may be part of the mysterious hepatitis outbreak that has puzzled public health officials globally. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday said health care providers had not been able to identify the cause of the liver inflammation for which the children, both younger than 10, were treated. (Collins, 5/25)
ABC7 Chicago: Children Hepatitis: 9 Possible Cases Reported In Kids In Illinois, Health Officials Say
Illinois has nine potential cases of severe hepatitis in children under 10, health officials said. That number is up from just three cases reported last month. The cases date back to January, and the most recent had the onset of symptoms in May, IDPH said. Two-thirds of the children tested positive for adenovirus, which is a common virus that typically causes cold or flu-like illness, health officials said. Five patients were reported in northern Illinois, two were in the western part of the state and one each was reported in the central and southern parts of the state. (5/25)
Today: Parents Of Child With Mystery Hepatitis Share Her Symptoms
In the days leading up to Christmas, the Widders family of Cincinnati were in full holiday mode, focused on school parties, buying gifts and prepping for a vacation to Florida. In the hustle and bustle of the season, other parents might've missed the signs that something was amiss in one of their children, but Elizabeth and Jack Widders were paying attention. They noticed when the middle of their three children, 4-year-old Liviah, threw up a couple of weeks before Christmas, and they saw her develop a small rash a few days later. They dismissed the nausea because she’d eaten too many sweets at Grandma’s the day before, and they thought the rash may've been from a sweater dress she wore at a school Christmas party. But one thing that stood out was how Liviah suddenly seemed “more tired than usual,” Elizabeth Widders told TODAY. (Austin, 5/25)
