Japanese researcher suggests ties between omicron variant and severe hepatitis in children

Infection with the omicron variant of the coronavirus may have a role in recent cases of severe acute hepatitis in children, according to new research presented at a health ministry panel meeting Wednesday.

Kyoto University professor Hiroshi Nishiura told the ministry’s coronavirus advisory board that countries with a large number of omicron infections such as Britain and the United States were also found to have reported a relatively higher number of childhood hepatitis cases.