No link between hepatitis outbreak in Scots kids and Covid-19 vaccine

The public health minister has confirmed the Covid-19 vaccine has no link to a mysterious strain of hepatitis found in 13 Scots children.

Last week the World Health Organisation announced that 10 cases of the virus has been reported across the central belt of Scotland.

A few days later they updated the figure to 74 cases across the UK. Today, infections north of the border stood at 13, Maree Todd, Minister for Public Health, told the Scottish Parliament.

But she assured MSPs there was no link between the hepatitis and the Covid-19 vaccine, because all of the youngsters - aged between one and 10 years old - had not received a dose of the inoculation."Although investigations into the cause are ongoing, we are able to definitively confirm that there is no connection between the Covid-19 vaccination and these cases," she said."None of the infected children have received a first dose."Whilst I know many will be concerned by this situation, please be assured that Public Health Scotland is working hard to identify the cause and is working closely with health agencies across the United Kingdom and international partners."Ms Todd told MSPs the cases were "unusual" given they do not appear to have been cause by "recognised strains of the virus", adding that only seven or eight such cases would be expected in a year if there were not another underlying condition present."At present, we don't know the cause of the hepatitis - all potential causes are being thoroughly investigated and a number of children have tested positive for adenovirus, which is generally mild but which can, in some rare cases, cause hepatitis," she said.Ms Todd said the most effective way to stem transmission of adenovirus was "good hand and respiratory