CDC Investigates After Five Children Die From Mysterious Liver Condition

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it is investigating 109 cases of a mysterious liver condition affecting young children in 25 states. Dr. Jay Butler, CDC’s deputy director for infectious diseases, told reporters that five children have now died from unexplained cases of hepatitis.

The sudden uptick in cases comes two weeks after the CDC issued a health alert following reports of 11 instances of unexplained hepatitis, or liver inflammation.

None of the children tested positive for the viruses that are known to cause hepatitis. They have no underlying health conditions and are too young to have received a COVID-19 vaccine. However, half of the children tested positive for an adenovirus, which causes the common cold.

Butler said that over 90% of the children had to be hospitalized, and eight required a liver transplant.

In addition to the cases in the United States, there have been 228 cases reported across 20 countries. The mysterious illness has left health experts stumped.

"Investigators both here and across the globe are hard at work to determine the cause," Butler said.

Butler noted that not all of the cases in the United States may be related to the global outbreak and said the agency is working to learn more about what may be causing young children to get sick.

"We are casting a wide net to help broaden our understanding," Butler said.