CDC announces one new death in mysterious child hepatitis outbreak

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week announced an additional death from a recent outbreak of hepatitis in U.S. children, a health emergency that has left authorities scrambling to figure out where the strange outburst of cases is coming from.

Most of the children who have been reported to have contracted the disease have recovered, but the U.S. has recorded six deaths from the outbreak thus far, with the latest death being announced at a CDC press briefing this week. 

The unexpected surge in child hepatitis has been detected in other countries as well, including Scotland and Spain. In the U.S., the majority of cases have been identified retroactively. 

Health authorities have not yet announced a common factor or epidemiological link to any of the cases. The outbreak has been detected in 36 states so far.