Cuba is preparing for an eventual outbreak of acute infantile hepatitis of unknown originCuba is preparing for an eventual outbreak of acute infantile hepatitis of unknown origin, Director of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr.Francisco Durán, revealed on Monday.

Havana, Cuba.- Even though no cases of this disease have been reported in the country, according to this official in a television broadcast, a surveillance plan has already been drawn up to know how to proceed if a child with symptoms is reported.

The plan, he said, is being carried out in the same way the country did in January 2020 in the face of the threat of COVID-19, when regulations for prevention and control were outlined.

Director of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr.Francisco Durán.Dr. Durán recommended keeping the use of face masks because in a percentage of the studied cases of hepatitis in the world the presence of adenovirus was found, which is a pathogen transmitted through the respiratory tract.

On April 5, the United Kingdom reported the first 10 cases of acute childhood hepatitis of unknown origin and a month later the condition was present in 20 countries, according to the World Health Organization.

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Multi-Country – Acute, severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children

Because of the spread of the disease, the organization issued an epidemiological alert in which it acknowledged that a possible association between cases of severe acute hepatitis in children and an adenovirus infection is currently being investigated.

Of the 169 cases reported up to April 29, 85 were tested for the detection of this pathogen, 74 of which were positive, and adenovirus type 41 was found in 18 people. (PL)