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2 cases of rare COVID-19 inflammatory syndrome in kids confirmed in Puget Sound area


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KOMO file photo
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SEATTLE -- Two children in the Puget Sound region have been confirmed to have a rare inflammatory syndrome that doctors now believe is associated with the COVID-19 outbreak.

A child that is younger than 10 from Snohomish County, and a child between 10-19 is from King County have both been diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), according to the state Department of Health. Both kids are currently being treated at Seattle Children's Hospital. They are the only two cases confirmed in the state as of Friday.

British doctors first began piecing the link together between the rare syndrome and a COVID-19 infection late last month noticing increased reports of previously healthy children presenting with a severe inflammatory syndrome with Kawasaki disease-like symptoms.

“In Washington, we are tracking this issue closely and working with local health departments and providers to learn more,” Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer for DOH, said in a press release. “Early last week we asked all health care providers in the state to be on the lookout and immediately report possible cases to local health authorities.”

The Department of Health now defines a case as meeting the criteria of:

  • The child must be under the age of 21, with a fever, laboratory evidence of inflammation, and severe illness involving more than two organs that requires hospitalization; AND
  • No other plausible diagnoses; AND
  • Positive COVID-19 test, or exposure to a confirmed case, within the four weeks prior to the onset of symptoms.

“Seattle Children’s is committed to caring for our region’s most medically complex children, and our team of specialists is well-equipped to care for children presenting with this newly identified syndrome,” said Dr. John McGuire, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Seattle Children’s. “Although it remains very uncommon, parents should call their primary care providers if their children are showing new or unusual symptoms, such as a persistent fever or headache, abdominal pain with or without diarrhea, fatigue, and respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath.”

In Portland, Ore., a healthy 14-year-old soccer player named Leah ended up in the hospital with a fever, red eyes and severe stomach pain. She then suffered cardiac failure and was in shock.

"It was terrible. My stomach was hurting a lot. I’m very grateful. I could have been gone," she said during an interview last week from her hospital bed.

Another 14-year-old victim in New York said he suffered severe stomach pain. “It started out small and eventually the symptoms got out of hand," said Jack McMorrow.

His doctor also said McMorrow’s heart was not functioning as it should have.

Doctors stress a vast majority of children get mild to no symptoms from a COVID-19 infection and MIS-C remains very rare. Still, identifying the syndrome early is important, says Dr. Jeff Duchin with Seattle/King County Public Health, because there are treatments available for the serious complications.

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