Pediatricians report concerning condition possibly linked to coronavirus

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Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Kids' Mysterious Illness Possibly Tied to Covid-19
Action News Healthcheck reporter Ali Gorman, R.N. explains a mysterious illness in children is possibly tied to Covid-19.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Pediatricians are reporting a rare but concerning condition that could be linked to COVID-19.

Infectious disease Dr. Ishminder Kaur at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia says there have been two cases.

Doctors in Europe have also warned about the condition and in New York, the department of health issued a warning after at least 15 kids have been affected.

"I think several institutions at the same time are seeing a lot of children with similar presentations with abdominal pain and diarrhea and then leading to this almost multi-system inflammation," Dr. Kaur said, adding some children have active COVID-19 infections. Others have tested positive for the antibody signaling they had the infection in the past.

The complication seems similar to Kawasaki Disease, a condition that can cause dangerous inflammation to some blood vessels and potential damage to the heart.

Kaur said, "It's not a large number we're seeing, children still are generally spared from severe manifestation (from novel coronavirus), but it's a concerning signal that I think clinicians all over the world are watching."

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