UK hepatitis outbreak: How worried should we be about mystery virus giving kids liver condition?

Few parents will fail to have been concerned by reports of hundreds of children being hospitalised with the liver condition hepatitis.

While many have recovered, 11 have required an urgent liver transplant. 

The majority of cases have been in the UK, but children in the US, Japan and Israel are now being affected.

One child has died, according to the World Health Organisation – it did not reveal in which country – while US health officials are investigating the death of another youngster with suspected hepatitis.

Hepatitis is the term used to describe inflammation in the liver, an organ that helps filter toxins out of the body.

Often it causes only mild flu-like symptoms, but it can also lead to more serious issues such as jaundice, swelling of the legs, ankles and feet, and blood in…