More than 150 children in California were diagnosed with coronavirus-related multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) during the pandemic.
The State Department of Public Health reported that on December 14 at least 152 children have been diagnosed with MIS-C, a rare and sometimes deadly inflammatory disease that scientists say can infect children exposed to the coronavirus.
Experts say MIS-C appears to be directly related to spikes in COVID-19 cases, the The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday. The is registered seven new MIS-C diagnoses in the week between December 7 and 14.
MIS-C causes reactions similar to Kawasaki disease with organs and tissues, such as the heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, digestive system, brain, skin or eyes becoming inflamed, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Many children diagnosed with MIS-C have a positive test result for coronavirus antibodies, which means that they have come into contact with someone infected with COVID-19. Symptoms of the syndrome include fever, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, red lips, bloodshot eyes, and exhaustion.
Across the country, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified 1,288 cases of MIS-C that resulted in the deaths of at least 23 children on Dec. 4. An analysis by the Los Angeles Times found that the number of cases has increased by more than 125 percent since July.
The CDC commissioned health care providers report cases of MIS-C emergency advice in May.
Early data for MIS-C found that the syndrome, like COVID-19, disproportionately affected black and Latino children. The CDC reports that 40 percent of diagnosed MIS-C cases occur in Latino children, 36 percent in black children, and 15 percent in white children.
Of the 49 MIS-C cases identified in Los Angeles County, 73 percent of cases occurred among Latino children, as of Friday. All 49 children confirmed to have MIS-C were hospitalized.
The Mayo Clinic notes that studies are needed to determine why more black and Latino children have been diagnosed in the US and whether that is related to a lack of access to healthcare.
Los Angeles County reported one MIS-C death this month, without identifying the child, who officials said had a “complex pre-existing heart condition,” according to the Times. California does not differentiate between MIS-C deaths and COVID-19 deaths and has documented three deaths from the coronavirus among children 17 years of age or younger.