New York has the most cases of the mysterious "toxic shock-like illness" that's been appearing in children.
A 5-year-old boy in New York City is the first child to die in the state from what is being called a “Kawasaki-like” or toxic shock-like” complication linked to COVID-19. Doctors are now labeling the illness as Pediatric Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome.
The syndrome occurs when the immune system of a child infected with the novel coronavirus goes into overdrive. The illness is still being investigated.
“This would be really painful news and would open up an entire different chapter because I can’t tell you how many people I spoke to who took peace and solace in the fact that children were not getting infected,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.
He added that 73 children in the state, the coronavirus epicenter, have the condition. Doctors said while the syndrome is rare, it can be life-threatening. Symptoms of the syndrome can include: fever, diarrhea, rash, red eyes, and heart problems.
The syndrome has been popping up across the U.S. with 85 cases diagnosed thus far. The New York Health Department is now investigating whether other child deaths across the state are linked to the illness.
A total of three children under the age of 10 have died in New York from COVID-19. The death toll in New York sat at 20,828 as of Friday afternoon.
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