Health officials 'on alert' for mysterious hepatitis cases in B.C. children

The B.C. government is watching closely for local cases of the mysterious hepatitis illness afflicting young children in countries around the world, but none have been identified so far.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed there are no suspected cases under investigation either, but called it a "probability" that some would emerge eventually.

"We've been in contact with BC Children's Hospital and the specialized physician who would deal with issues like this, so we are on alert and watching for it and we will continue to do so," Henry told reporters Thursday.

There have already been reports of children suffering from "severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin" elsewhere in Canada, according to federal officials. None have yet been confirmed.

"These are being investigated further to determine if they are related to cases in the United Kingdom and the United States," Health Canada told CTV News in an email. "As the investigation evolves, we will keep the public updated accordingly."

According to the World Health Organization, there had been 169 reports of children suffering the mystery illness from 12 different counties as of last Friday. About 10 per cent of the cases required a liver transplant, and at least one death has been reported so far.

Henry said cases have emerged in approximately half a dozen other countries since then, calling the unfolding situation "very concerning." The majority of identified cases have been in the U.K., for reasons that are not yet clear.

So far, none of the cases of acute hepatitis – meaning liver inflammation – have been linked to any of the common viruses known to cause the condition, including hepatitis A, B, C, D or E.

Henry said there are a number of hypotheses being explored, including a possible connection to adenovirus, which has been detected in at least 74 of the cases. But adenovirus 41, the “implicated adenovirus type,” is not known to cause hepatitis in otherwise healthy children, according to the WHO.

One thing the provincial health officer said is "very clear" is that the illness is not related to COVID-19 vaccination.

"The majority of the children, 80 per cent of them, are under the age of six and are not yet eligible and have not been vaccinated," Henry noted.

Many of the cases have started with symptoms of gastrointestinal illness such stomach pains, diarrhea and vomiting before the children began showing signs jaundice, a signal of poor liver function, Henry said.

"That's something to look at, for parents to be aware of," she added.