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Hepatitis of ‘unknown origin’ detected in Canadian kids Canadian health officials are investigating cases of severe acute hepatitis of "unknown origin" found in children across the country. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) told Global News on Wednesday it is aware of reports of this illness as other regions in the world report cases of liver disease in kids with an unknown cause. "These are being investigated further to determine if they are related to cases in the United Kingdom and the United States," PHAC said. "As the investigation evolves, we will keep the public updated accordingly." So far, 190 children worldwide have developed sudden liver disease for unknown reasons. At least one child died and several others needed to have liver transplants, the WHO said. Most cases have occurred in Europe. The first U.K. cases were recorded in January, while the U.S. detected its first cases last October in Alabama. Aaron D’Andrea has the details. 
How COVID’s 6th wave is impacting children Some Canadian parents are left worrying about their children’s health as they endure another wave of COVID-19. Julie Lajoie is one of these parents.  A Winnipeg, Man., mother to a four-year-old and 19-month-old, Lajoie wonders how she will protect her kids from the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 variant as restrictions continue to loosen across the country."We want to try to protect our kids as much as we can, but that (children under five) vaccine is not there and there's no kind of community-level protection that can help to protect them," she told Global News."Parents feel isolated for sure.” While 40 per cent of children aged five to 11 have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the latest government data, children under five remain ineligible for vaccination. And Health Canada told Global News Monday there have yet to be any vaccines submitted for review for that age group. So what’s the best way to keep your kids safe? Global News reporters Aaron D’Andrea and Jamie Mauracher gathered tips in this story, and examined how the 6th COVID wave is impacting children overall. 
Q: I’ve had COVID twice. The first time it was very mild and only the fact that my senses of taste and smell were gone told me it wasn’t just a common cold or flu. My sense of taste and smell returned and I felt almost back to normal. The second time I got COVID was late December 2021 and in hindsight, it was full blast. I was fully vaccinated when I contracted COVID the second time and just received my booster in April. I had, and still have, bouts of confusion and forgetfulness. I still have trouble concentrating and communicate poorly at times. I had, and still have to a lesser extent, a compulsive need to take “a nap” that usually lasts many hours. My sense of balance and my manual dexterity were, and still are, gone. My overall strength is returning very, very slowly but I am nowhere near who I used to be only a year ago. I’ve heard this referred to as “long COVID” but my GP has no good information for me about what to do about it. Is there any solid definitive advice you can direct me to? “(Long COVID) is not uncommon,” says Dr. Manali Mukherjee, an immunologist studying the condition at McMaster University. “A number of people, after COVID, are getting these persisting symptoms that are staying on for a while.” Mukherjee said the majority of people, according to the data, experience lingering symptoms for six-to-12 months after infection. “But there is a subset of patients who still remain symptomatic even at one year or after one year,” she said. “We do not have enough data thereafter.” Mukherjee said recovery time from long COVID varies from person to person and depends on how long it takes their immune system to return to normal. While the research and treatment options are limited, Mukherjee noted there have been a number of long-COVID clinics that have popped up across Canada that your GP should be able to direct you to. “If (your) symptoms are way too pronounced … then (you) possibly need to go to a (long-COVID) centre or rehab because right now there is no specific medication. What the long COVID clinics are doing — they are dissecting the symptoms and then triaging them as to which specialty needs to take care of the person,” she said. For example, if you are experiencing shortness of breath, you may be looked at by a respirologist. | 
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