By KAI ICHINO/ Staff Writer
May 7, 2022 at 16:35 JST
The government building in Tokyo’s Kasumigaseki district housing the health ministry (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The health ministry on May 6 confirmed four new cases of a mysterious form of acute child hepatitis that has afflicted 12 nations to date.
The latest announcement brings the total number of suspected cases in Japan to seven.
The adenovirus that British researchers are looking into as a possible cause of the ailment was detected in one child in Japan.
Of the four latest cases, the acute hepatitis was of a type other than types A, B, C, D and E, and found in children under 17.
Health ministry officials did not divulge the condition of the children found with the mystery ailment, but said there were no indications of a case serious enough to warrant a liver transplant.
According to the World Health Organization, there were 169 cases of suspected acute child hepatitis in 12 nations as of April 21. Of that number, the adenovirus was detected in 74 youngsters.
While it is still not clear if the adenovirus is the cause, the type 41 was found most often and officials at the British Health Security Agency were looking into a possible connection.
However, Japanese officials said the one case of adenovirus detected domestically was of type 1.
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