Abdel Nasser Abu Bakr, said in exclusive statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that “so far, according to the available information, no case of acute hepatitis of unknown origin has been discovered among children in the eastern Mediterranean.” “.
The organization said that its priorities are to determine the cause of these cases in order to further improve control and prevention measures, and Member States are strongly encouraged to identify, investigate and report potential cases that meet the definition of the case.
According to WHO experts, based on the information currently available, there are no recommendations for any restrictions on travel or trade with the United Kingdom, where the disease first appeared, or any other country in which cases are discovered.
Earlier, the organization said that at least one child died in the wake of the increase in the mysterious hepatitis disease.
And according to the British newspaper, “The Sun”, the United Kingdom has so far recorded 145 cases, including 108 in England, 17 in Scotland, 11 in Wales and 9 in Northern Ireland.
Abu Bakr stressed that Member States should collect epidemiological information related to risk factors and submit it to the World Health Organization and partner agencies, through agreed reporting mechanisms.
He added: “Any epidemiological links between cases may provide clues that help trace the source of the disease, and temporal and geographical information on cases, as well as close contacts of cases, must be reviewed, in order to identify potential risk factors.”
WHO also recommends testing of blood and respiratory samples, as well as liver biopsy samples, among other means of characterizing viruses, including genetic sequencing, and urges comprehensive investigation of other infectious and non-infectious causes.
The United Kingdom, where the majority of cases have been reported to date, had recently noticed a significant increase in adenovirus infection in the community, following a decrease in its transmission levels at the beginning of the Corona pandemic.
