State is Investigating Approximately 102 Reported Cases & 3 Deaths Related to COVID Illness in Children with Symptoms Similar to an Atypical Kawasaki Disease and Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome
Of Children Displaying these Symptoms, 60 Percent Tested Positive for COVID-19 and 40 Percent Tested Positive for COVID-19 Antibodies
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the State Department of Health will host a statewide webinar tomorrow for all healthcare providers to discuss the symptoms, testing and care of reported inflammatory disease in children related to COVID-19.
The State is currently investigating approximately 102 reported cases in New York where children - predominantly school-aged - are experiencing these symptoms possibly due to COVID-19.
The illness has taken the lives of three young New Yorkers, including a 5-year old in New York City, a 7-year old in Westchester County and a teenager in Suffolk County.
Of these cases, 60 percent of the children displaying these symptoms tested positive for COVID-19 and 40 percent tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Additionally, 71 percent of the cases have resulted in ICU admission, 19 percent of cases have resulted in intubation and 43 percent of the cases remain hospitalized.
We must stay alert with this virus because we're still learning, and what we thought we knew doesn't always turn out to be true," Governor Cuomo said. "When we first started with this virus, we were told children are not affected, which was a great sigh of relief. But now we're finding out that may not be 100 percent accurate because we're seeing cases where
children who may have been infected with the COVID virus show symptoms of an inflammatory disease like the Kawasaki disease or toxic shock-like syndrome.
New York State has been aggressively investigating these new cases and is leading the efforts on this nationwide, and the more we know the more we know, the more we'll communicate."
Though most children who get COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, in the United Kingdom,
a possible link has also been reported between pediatric COVID-19 and serious inflammatory disease. The inflammatory syndrome has features which overlap with Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome and
may occur days to weeks after acute COVID-19 illness. It can include persistent fever, abdominal symptoms, rash, and even cardiovascular symptoms requiring intensive care.
For more information, visit
www.health.ny.gov.
New York City health officials have identified 30 additional kids with pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome, a potentially fatal illness doctors suspect is being caused by Covid-19 infections. Mayor Bill de Blasio explains the latest on the situation.
Video: Pediatric inflammatory syndrome cases rise in NYC
Governor Cuomo (4 minute mark)
Governor Cuomo Announces State Department of Health Will Host Statewide Webinar Tomorrow for Healthcare Providers to Discuss Inflammatory Disease in Children Related to COVID-19
An eighth grader in Portland, Oregon, is recovering in the intensive care unit after being rushed to the hospital with cardiac failure. Her doctor now says she is a "textbook" case of
a concerning new COVID-19-related illness that is popping up around the country.
Leah, 14, had been sick for days, but when her condition worsened last week she knew she had to see a doctor.
"She presented with fever, red eyes, abdominal pain and a blood pressure of only 70 over 30 -- so very, very low," Dr. Mark Buchholz, Leah's doctor at Randall Children's Hospital, told ABC News. "Her primary care doctor actually had heard and knew of this syndrome and called the paramedics and sent her over to the emergency department really quickly."
Leah tested negative for the coronavirus, but positive for antibodies, suggesting she had the infection in the past.
Teen girl recovering in ICU with new coronavirus-related illness similar to Kawasaki disease