Portugal has two more suspected cases of acute childhood hepatitis of unknown origin, totaling 14, the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) told Lusa today, adding that the children are stable and in an outpatient clinic.
According to the DGS, the two suspected cases were detected in Madeira.
Contacted by the Lusa agency, the director of the National Program for Viral Hepatitis, Rui Tato Marinho, said that the disease situation in Portugal “is peaceful”
“It’s been almost a month since this started in Portugal and we have had, on average, one case every other day, all with a favorable evolution”, said the hepatologist, adding that some children were hospitalized, some had jaundice, but they are all well.
Speaking of the situation at European level, Rui Tato Marinho said that there are just over 300 cases, which resulted in one death in Ireland. The remaining deaths took place “in countries with very different health care”, namely in Indonesia, Mexico, Palestine, the United States.
The specialist highlighted the fact that in the United Kingdom, where the first cases of acute childhood hepatitis of unknown origin appeared, the rate of emergence of new cases has decreased. “It looks like the disease may be slowing down,” he pointed out.
Returning to the situation in Portugal, he pointed out as an “important aspect” that some of the 14 cases considered suspicious may no longer be suspected because more characteristics of the disease are known, which can cause cases to decrease rather than increase.