This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
Published on May 20, 2020, a study in the Lancet Journal has found a possible link between Covid-19 and a rare inflammatory condition in children known as Kawasaki Disease.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 80 percent of people infected with Covid-19 present with fewer or no symptoms at all, and thus recover without needing hospital treatment.
However, research indicates that the disease may be responsible for a myriad of complications in young children that might be missed by health experts.
Researchers in Italy's Bergamo Province discovered an increase in cases of young children with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease in the affected region.
Between February 18 and April 20, 2020, 10 cases of young children with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease were reported in the region, compared to only 19 cases in the past five years.
Of the 10 children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease-like symptoms, eight tested positive for the coronavirus disease through an antibody test.
While all of the children in the study survived, those who became ill during the pandemic displayed more serious symptoms than those diagnosed in the previous five years.
Indeed, about 50 percent of the children had signs of toxic shock syndrome, and more than half of them (60 percent) developed heart complications compared to those treated previously (10 percent).
Dr Lucio Verdoni, an author of the study from the Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo, Italy, noted that the complication remains very rare, but the new study provides further evidence on how the virus may be affecting children.
“Parents should follow local medical advice and seek medical attention immediately if their child is unwell. Most children will make a complete recovery if they receive appropriate hospital care,” Dr Verdoni said.
