More US children ill from rare syndrome with possible link to coronavirus
Dozens more children in the US are reported to have developed a rare but potentially lethal inflammatory syndrome that may be linked to coronavirus infections.
The New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, confirmed on Wednesday that at least 100 children had been diagnosed in the state, including three who had died. Cuomo noted the illness affects children of all races and that they “may have been exposed [to Covid-19] weeks before”.
“This is a truly disturbing situation and I know parents around the state and around the country are very concerned about this, and they should be,” Cuomo said.
The syndrome resembles Kawasaki disease, authorities said, an inflammatory condition of the blood vessels in which children develop high fever, rash on the back, chest and abdomen, bloodshot eyes, swollen hands and feet, swollen lymph glands and swelling around the mouth and lips.
Kawasaki disease is rare. About 3,000 children are diagnosed with the disease each year. There are 74 million children under 18 in the US.
The cause of Kawasaki disease is not known, although some research papers have linked its trigger to viral infection. It was first diagnosed in Japanese children in the 1960s and does not appear to be either contagious or hereditary, according to the American Heart Association.
Like the coronavirus itself, New York City appears to be the early center for infection in the US. City health officials 82 confirmed cases on Wednesday, up from 52 the day before. They continue to investigate more than 100 other possible cases.
In early May, more than 100 cases of the unusual illness had emerged in at least six countries, with doctors in Britain, the US, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland investigating the condition.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city’s health commissioner had issued an alert for healthcare providers to “understand better how to fight back this problem”.
“That vigilance is crucial,” he said.
Across the country, cases had been reported in Louisiana, Mississippi and California. A CNN survey found hospitals and clinics in at least 18 states and Washington DC are investigating suspected cases.
Andrew Cuomo
(@NYGovCuomo)Tragically, three young New Yorkers have died of what may be a COVID-related illness in children.
This illness has symptoms that are similar to Kawasaki disease & toxic shock syndrome.
DOH is investigating & we will provide updates.
Though rare, we urge parents to be vigilant.
Fifteen patients aged between two and 15 were hospitalized between 29 April and 3 May with illnesses compatible with the syndrome, the New York City health department said in a statement in early May. “All patients had subjective or measured fever and more than half reported rash, abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea,” it added.
On Wednesday, Cuomo confirmed that, thus far, 60% of children displaying Kawasaki-like symptoms in New York state had tested positive for Covid-19.
A global coalition of doctors researching the condition has warned that parents, hospitals and clinics should expect to see more cases.
“We can expect that each of the epicenters will see clusters of these emerging roughly four to six weeks later,” Dr Jeffrey Burns, a critical care specialist at Boston children’s hospital, told CNN. “It makes sense that it emerged in New York first because New York had the largest and most severe outbreak.”
Burns added that such a rare condition would be seen more often when millions of people are infected by an even rarer virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing a health alert to send to doctors across the country.
Read the original article at The Guardian