European hepatitis scare puts doctors on the alert

Doctors are being advised to keep a lookout for symptoms that may point to hepatitis in children aged 16 and under regardless of the reasons why they are seeing a patient.

In an announcement on Thursday, the Hellenic Association for the Study of the Liver pointed to reports of outbreaks in the UK and other parts of Europe that emerged earlier this week, saying that, despite assurance from the National Organization of Public Health that there has been no notable increase in cases, doctors should be “vigilant.”

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that has various causes, including viral infection, leading experts in the affected countries to investigate whether Covid-19 may be the culprit. The most common symptoms are jaundice, fever, nausea, loss of appetite and diarrhea.

The association also called for doctors to report any suspicious cases to the public health authority.