New CDC Report Explores COVID-19 Syndrome Impacting PA Children

PENNSYLVANIA — Pennsylvania is among the states hit hardest by a rare inflammatory syndrome diagnosed in children battling coronavirus, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The illness, known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), has been diagnosed in 42 kids in Pennsylvania, according to the most recent data from the state. Almost all children diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory syndrome have also tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The CDC report, which undercounts the total number of cases in Pennsylvania as reported by the Department of Health, says the state is among those with the most MIS-C cases. Nineteen more cases remain under investigation by Pennsylvania health officials.

New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts are also among states reporting the highest number of cases, according to the CDC.

Other states that have at least 21 cases are Illinois, Louisiana, California, according to the CDC data.

Nationwide, 570 children have been diagnosed with the disease. Ten of those children died and 364 were admitted to the ICU.

Children with the syndrome have symptoms resembling Kawasaki disease, another rare childhood condition that can cause swelling and heart problems. Other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling extra tired.

The illness can also cause cardiovascular systems and inflammation of the muscles of the heart as well as what's known as "strawberry tongue," a swollen, bumpy tongue.

Treatments include medications such as steroids and intravenous immunoglobin. "These medications reduce the body’s excessive immune response, lowering fever and inflammation and allowing heart function to return to normal," according to CHOP.

The CDC data released this week shows the most common underlying condition among those diagnosed with the disease is obesity. Nearly 150 patients diagnosed with MIS-C were obese, the CDC said. And more than 8 percent of patients had some form of chronic lung disease.

More information on the characteristics of the patients can be viewed here.

As of July 30, there were 7,740 children ages 0 to 18 who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Pennsylvania. There are 2,801,187 children ages 0 to 18 in Pennsylvania. That means out of each 100,000 children, there have been 276 cases, according to data from the American Academic of Pediatrics.

According to data from the state, of the total coronavirus cases across Pennsylvania, 1 percent are in children ages 0 to 4; 1 percent of cases are in children ages 5-12; and nearly 4 percent are in children ages 13 to 18.