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The mayor said 38 cases of pediatric multisystemic inflammatory syndrome have been detected in New York City, and nine other suspected cases awaiting confirmation.
FILE: New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks at a press conference at a temporary hospital located at the USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19 ), in the Queens District on April 10, 2020 in New York. Image: AFP.
NEW YORK – New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday expressed “tremendous concern” over an increase in cases of a pediatric syndrome that scientists suspect could be related to COVID-19.
The mayor said 38 cases of pediatric multisystemic inflammatory syndrome have been detected in New York City, and nine other suspected cases awaiting confirmation.
There have been three deaths statewide related to the syndrome, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said over the weekend, with one in the city.
Symptoms of the syndrome include persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
“What it does is basically in a child’s body it triggers an intensive, almost overwhelming response from the immune system. And that actually causes harm to the body,” de Blasio said.
The mayor said that all children with associated symptoms would now be screened for COVID-19 and antibodies.
So far, of the confirmed cases, 47% had tested positive for coronavirus and 81% had antibodies, indicating exposure to the rapidly spreading virus at some point.
De Blasio urged all parents whose children exhibited symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.
On Friday, Cuomo had reported that at least 73 children across New York State had developed the rare disease, which has some similarities to Kawasaki disease.
Kawasaki disease is a mysterious disease that primarily affects children up to the age of five and causes inflammation of the artery walls, leading to fever, peeling skin, and joint pain.
Britain’s National Health Service sounded the alarm last month, warning of a small increase in children infected with the coronavirus who have “overlapping characteristics of toxic shock syndrome and atypical Kawasaki disease.”
France has also reported several cases.
Although terrifying, most recover without serious problems.
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