THE number of cases of hepatitis among children in Northern Ireland has more than doubled in the past three weeks.
The rise in cases comes after the death of a child in the Republic from an acute form of the disease, while another needed a liver transplant.
Both of the cases are linked to an unexplained type of hepatitis that is being reported across the world.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) last night said there were nine confirmed cases of the illness in children in the north.
Just three weeks ago, the agency reported there were "fewer than five" cases in its update published on April 21.
That figure rose just days later to nine and on May 6, the PHA said "the number of confirmed and possible cases in Northern Ireland is 10".
Last night it said: "As of the 10 May the number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland is nine".
It said it was "continuing to work with counterparts in other jurisdictions as part of a UK-wide investigation being led by the UK Health Security Agency into cases of hepatitis".
It added that "work is ongoing to assess a wide range of possible factors".
"One of the possible causes being investigated is that this is linked to adenovirus infection," it said.
"However, other potential causes are also being thoroughly investigated. There is no link to the Covid-19 vaccine."
Just yesterday it emerged that a child being treated for acute hepatitis at a hospital in the Republic had died.
A second child, who was also being treated for the illness, has received a liver transplant.
It said that there have been six probable cases of children with hepatitis in the state since March, which it said "is more than would usually be expected over this period of time".
All children were aged between one and 12 years of age, and all had been hospitalised.
The children affected have no links to the other children involved, and no single virus has yet been identified. The Irish cases have no links to the UK cases, the HSE said, and none had a recent travel history to the UK.
As of April, at least 169 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children have been reported in 11 countries, with 114 of these cases reported in the UK.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver tissue and there are a number of different types of the illness, including hepatitis A, B and C.
However, this acute form of hepatitis is of unknown origin, so all possibilities of the cause of this in children recently are being investigated.
It is currently being explored whether it is linked to an increase in infections caused by adenovirus, which is a common cause of childhood illness.
Parents are advised to go to their GP if their child develops symptoms of hepatitis, which include pale, grey-coloured stools, very dark urine, or a yellowing of the eyes and skin.
