Another 36 children have fallen sick in the mysterious hepatitis outbreak, health chiefs revealed Wednesday — after six deaths were linked to the illness.
It brings the tally of children affected by the liver inflammation to 216 across 37 states, with Mississippi and Utah the latest to be added to the growing list.
No new deaths or liver transplants were reported over the last seven days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed in their weekly update with the totals remaining at 14 and six respectively.
The agency has not revealed where the fatalities occurred due to ‘confidentiality issues’, but at least one was registered in Wisconsin health chiefs in the state say.
Globally, the U.S. has recorded the most fatalities and suspected cases out of any nation — although this may be because of stronger surveillance here.
Indonesia has reported five deaths in the outbreak, while both Palestine and Israel have registered one each.
Scientists say it will still be weeks before the cause of the cases is revealed, although the CDC continues to consider an adenovirus infection — which can trigger the common cold — as the most likely cause.