DENVER – There have now been 29 confirmed cases in Colorado of a still mysterious inflammatory syndrome, seen in children and young adults, which is believed to be a side effect of the virus that causes COVID-19, public health officials said Wednesday.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) said Colorado hospitals reported the highest number of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in December than had been reported so far throughout the pandemic.
The department said the data matched the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases the state has seen in October and November and expects the number of cases to increase as the CDC continues to look into possible cases in December.
Public health officials and scientists are still working to find out more about the syndrome, which occurs most often in children who have had COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has had the virus. But the CDPHE said the official cause of MIS-C has not yet been determined.
The department first warned about MIS-C in May, when it was confirmed that three children had the syndrome. By July, two people had died from MIS-C – deaths the state said took place in the spring.
CDPHE said on Wednesday that there were no other deaths related to the syndrome, which generally affects children between the ages of 5 and 15, but was found in young adults up to the age of 20 – including a young man in his 20s. years in Boulder County, the local public health department. identified in October.
With some Colorado schoolchildren heading to class and more districts hoping they can begin the process soon, the CDPHE chief physician said it’s time to remind people that the syndrome can occur in children who often have mild cases of COVID. -19 or which are asymptomatic.
“There are still many things we don’t know about MIS-C, and the noticeable increase in cases is a clear reminder that our children are also at risk for serious complications from COVID-19,” said CDPHE chief physician. Dr. Eric France. “As personal learning resumes, it is important that students continue to take steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as masking, physical distance, hand washing, and staying home when they are ill.”
Symptoms associated with MIS-C include inflammation of the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal system, as well as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, heartache, and more.
CDPHE said parents of children with symptoms should contact their child’s health care provider and seek emergency care for life-threatening symptoms such as breathing problems, chest pain, inability to stay awake. , blue lips or faces severe abdominal pain.
The department also recommends that children of all ages be tested for COVID-19 if they experience symptoms.