Doctors have seen an increase in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in patients with COVID-19, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
The reason for the sudden rise in MIS-C is not clear, although the increase comes immediately after the US experienced an increase in coronavirus cases during the winter, probably increasing the chances of severe disease.
“We now get more of these MIS-C children, but this time, it seems that a higher percentage of them are really critically ill,” said Roberta DeBiasi, head of infectious diseases at the National Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. , the times.
Symptoms of MIS-C include fever, rash, red eyes, and gastrointestinal problems, and some cases may progress to heart failure.
Although the number of cases is increasing, MIS-C remains rare, the Times said. About 2,060 cases and 30 deaths in 48 states, Puerto Rico and DC have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the CDC, the mean age of patients with MIS-C is 9, most patients between 1 and 14. However, cases have been observed in patients younger than 1 and 20 years of age.
Most cases occurred in children of color, the CDC noted, with 69% being Hispanic, Latino or black. Fifty-eight percent of patients who developed MIS-C were men.
Although daily cases of coronavirus are declining, more infectious strains in the UK and South Africa are considered a new threat in the US.
Recent research has found that the UK variant could be more lethal, although current vaccines are considered to be effective in protecting against it. However, the South African variant has been shown to be more resistant to current vaccines.
As the Times noted, most young people survive by contracting COVID-19 and return to relatively healthy conditions, but health experts are still unsure of the persistent health effects. Vaccines are not currently available for most children in most states, as primary care workers, home care residents and the elderly are a priority.