Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak Infecting Children

More than 160 children have been diagnosed with acute hepatitis as a puzzling outbreak spreads across 11 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday.

At least one child has died and 17 others have required liver transplants as acute, severe hepatitis of an unknown origin has been reported in Europe and the U.S. Children ages 1 month to 16-years-old have been diagnosed with the mysterious illness, the WHO noted. The majority of cases were first identified in the United Kingdom, where 114 children have fallen ill.

Nine cases were identified in Alabama, then two more in North Carolina. Two of the children in Alabama required liver transplants despite being healthy prior to their diagnoses. All of the children in Alabama were under the age of 10.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national health alert last week following the outbreak in Alabama. The agency said that pediatricians should be on the lookout for liver inflammation expressed with jaundice, gastroenterological issues, fatigue and other symptoms.