This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
15 Children Hospitalized with Mysterious Illness Possibly Linked to Covid-19 ¶
Health officials in New York City announced on Monday night that 15 children, many of whom had the coronavirus, have been hospitalized with a mysterious syndrome that doctors do not yet fully understand.
According to the city's health department, the children, aged 2 to 15, have shown symptoms associated with toxic shock or Kawasaki disease, a rare illness in children that involves inflammation of the blood vessels, including coronary arteries.
State health commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker said that state officials were also investigating the unexplained syndrome, which has received growing attention in recent weeks as cases began appearing in European countries hit hard by the coronavirus.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, a World Health Organization scientist, said at a news briefing last week that there were some recent rare descriptions of children in some European countries that had had this inflammatory syndrome, which is similar to the Kawasaki syndrome, but it seems to be very rare.
Of the 15 patients, most either tested positive for the coronavirus or were found, through antibody testing, to likely have been previously infected. The city's health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, said in a statement that even though the relationship of this syndrome to Covid-19 is not yet defined, the clinical nature of this virus is such that they are asking all providers to contact them immediately if they see patients who meet the criteria they've outlined.
Dr. Zucker reiterated that state health officials were aware of multiple cases of this syndrome in New York City hospitals, and that he had spoken with medical providers statewide about it. He added that the state health department was also looking at Kawasaki-like cases in children and adolescents in Europe.
So far, from what they understand, this is a rare complication in the pediatric population that they believe is related to Covid-19, Dr. Zucker said, adding that they are following it very closely.
