15 Children Hospitalized in NY With Illness Possibly Tied to Covid-19

By COLlive reporter

The NY City Health Department has issued an alert regarding what they say may be new and unusual COVID-19 related illnesses in children.

Fifteen cases compatible with multi-system inflammatory syndrome have been identified in children in New York City hospitals, the alert says.

Mount Sinai Hospital is confirming reports by NBC New York that they are seeing new and unusual COVID-19 related illness in several pediatric patients. The hospital’s chief of pediatric critical care is now issuing a warning to parents to be on the lookout for certain symptoms.

In a statement, Dr. George Ofori, Pediatric Critical Care Director at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital said, “Some of the cases that we are currently treating entered our care presenting with symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and a low-grade fever. Others presented first with a rash, conjunctivitis, and/or cracked lips.”

Dr. Ofori said some patients have developed heart problems and low blood pressure that led to shock. He explained that some had been diagnosed with COVID-19 2-3 weeks before these symptoms developed.

“Whether the underlying condition is COVID-19 or the body’s response to COVID-19 is not known at this time. While it is too early to definitively say what is causing this we believe it is important to alert the public as to what we are seeing,” he said.

A different source told NBC New York some of these children had no previous underlying health conditions.

Pediatricians at several local hospitals say they’re concerned about recent hospitalizations of previously healthy children who have become critically ill with the same features, resembling Toxic Shock Syndrome and Kawasaki disease. Kawasaki is an autoimmune sickness that can be triggered by a viral infection and if not treated quickly, can cause life-threatening damage to the arteries and the heart, NBC reported.