COVID: New syndrome baffles scientist, as thousands of children fall sick

A new multisystem inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID has been discovered in the US. The variant can affect children and adults alike.

Passengers show their vaccination certificates before boarding.
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Passengers show their vaccination certificates before boarding.

The multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a life-threatening complication of COVID, in children. It has recently been discovered in the US, and it is fatal in nature.

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MIS-C

5,200 of the 6.2 million US children diagnosed with COVID have developed MIS-C. Around 80% are being treated in intensive care units and the other 20% need life support to sustain.

There is yet a new COVID complication, and 46 children have already succumbed to it.

Scientists are looking for solutions and have been extremely baffled on the experiment outcomes. It is a rare complication where a hyperactive immune system attacks a child’s body.

How to spot it?

This syndrome needs immediate attention and care, or the child could go into immediate shock. Out of the ones affected, many have developed strange heart rhythms and aneurysms, where artery walls balloon out and threaten to burst.

Symptoms include, fever, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, bloodshot eyes, rash and dizziness.

Doctors are now getting better at spotting and treating MIS-C.

MIS-A

The mortality rate has fallen from 2.4 to 0.7 percent from the beginning of the pandemic.

There is a new variant called MIS-A which can affect adults too. But this is even rarer than MIS-C and has a mortality rate seven times as high as that seen in children.

Scientists are discovering new methods to treat this newly discovered disease.

MIS-C can be treated with guidance from counsellors and therapists who are skilled at treating an illness called Kawasaki disease, for decades together.

COVID vaccine rollouts have been on a rise, and the number of fatalities have fallen. The US continues to give jabs to the unvaxxed population.

Scientists warn children are at higher risk of being infected by the new COVID strain Scientists warn children are at higher risk of being infected by the new COVID strain