Officials with the Kentucky Department of Public Health have reportedly confirmed half a dozen mysterious cases of hepatitis in five counties in the commonwealth, including Lyon and Todd counties.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said they are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify children with hepatitis of unknown causes. So far, he said, they are investigating six cases in Kentucky affecting children ranging from 8-months to 4-years old.
click to download audioHe noted the cause of the cases is unknown but there is no connection to COVID-19 vaccines and no link to other common causes of viral hepatitis.
click to download audioDr. Stack said the public shouldn’t panic or be alarmed by the mysterious cases of hepatitis, but parents should look for symptoms in small children, with yellowing of the skin and eyes the most common symptom.
click to download audioState health officials have confirmed mysterious cases of hepatitis in the counties of Lyon, Todd, Bourbon, and Meade, with two cases under investigation in Jefferson County.
According to the World Health Organization, there have been 650 probable cases reported in children from 33 countries between April 5 and May 26. WHO officials report at least 38 children have needed liver transplants and nine have died.