The Government asked the Ministry of Health to respond to acute hepatitis in children

The Government Office has just issued Document 2956/VPCP-KGVX dated May 12 to the ministries, ministerial-level agencies and agencies attached to the Government; People’s Committees of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government acute hepatitis epidemic in children.

According to the information of the Health Organization world (WHO), recently some countries have detected acute hepatitis in children, the cause has not been determined, with a high rate of severe transition.

To proactively prevent this disease, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam request the Ministry of Health to exchange and update information with WHO about this disease in order to proactively have a response plan, prepare human resources, means, supplies and equipment for prevention and treatment; direct the inspection, supervision, and guide the prevention and control of this disease; promptly report to the Prime Minister when the disease has complicated development.

The Ministry of Information and Communications shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health in, propagating and providing complete and timely information on the epidemic situation, prevention and control measures so that people can actively and actively prevent and control the epidemic. sick.

People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, especially border provinces with international border gates, strengthen supervision at border gates, airports and seaports to detect suspected cases. , promptly report to the Ministry of Health for appropriate guidance and management.

Nearly 10% of children need a liver transplant

Previously, the Ministry of Health said that as of May 3, the world had recorded 228 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown cause in 20 countries in Europe, Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, including 4 deaths. The disease occurs in children from 1 month to 16 years of age, most of the children recover completely, however, there are some severe cases, nearly 10% of cases require treatment. liver transplant.

The cases identified as acute hepatitis mentioned above presented with abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and markedly elevated liver enzymes. The majority of reported cases were without fever and were not found to be infected with common viruses that cause acute viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses).

WHO and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control say that the exact cause of hepatitis in these children is not known and investigations are ongoing. However, cases have occurred in areas where adenovirus is high.

According to experts, the above acute hepatitis is still a “mysterious” hepatitis that has not yet determined the exact cause of the disease.