The CDC added six new COVID-19 symptoms that people should watch out for, including one that seems to only manifest in children: serious inflammation, including painful rashes that turn black as the body’s immune system attacks its own organs.
The symptoms appear to be related to Kawasaki disease, a rare disease that causes inflammation in the walls to the arteries and can limit the blood flow to the heart and typically affects children under 5 years old.
Hotspots like New York City have been reporting “multi-system inflammatory syndrome potentially associated with COVID-19” in children, according to a statement issued by the city’s Health Department. Officials said there are 15 children hospitalized between the ages of 2 and 15 that showed symptoms of fever, rash, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
“More than half of the patients required blood pressured support and five required mechanical ventilation,” officials said, adding there were no deaths.
Additionally, the Paediatric Intensive Care Society in England has also seen cases, with toxic shock syndrome appearing to go hand in hand with the Kawasaki symptoms. “There is a growing concern that a SARS-CoV-2 related inflammatory syndrome emerging in children in the UK or that there may be another as yet unidentified infectious pathogen associated with those cases,” officials tweeted.
Hospitals in Washington, D.C. and as far as Italy and Spain have also been reporting similar cases and concerns.
Anyone under 21 years old with inflammatory symptoms, toxic shock syndrome-like symptoms or a fever lasting more than four days should seek medical attention immediately.
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