Three children in New York died from a rare syndrome associated with COVID-19

At least three children in New York died from a rare inflammatory syndrome, which, according to doctors, is associated with a new coronavirus. Previously it was believed that COVID-19 does not carry mortal danger for children, but now doctors doubt it, writes “Voice of America".

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo on May 8 reported the death of a 5-year-old child with COVID-19. The disease caused him complications in the form of toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, which led to his death. In the state as a whole, coronavirus killed at least three people under the age of 18. The governor did not provide details of their age or circumstances of death.

According to Cuomo, he is concerned that the latest case of the syndrome in a child means an increased risk for children who were previously considered largely immune to severe forms of COVID-19.

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The governor specified that the state authorities are now aware of 73 cases in which children infected with COVID-19 showed symptoms of the syndrome from which a 5-year-old boy died. These include inflammation of the blood vessels, which, in turn, can cause heart problems.

Calling it a “really troubling” event, Cuomo added that earlier experts believed that young people were not at risk of dying from coronavirus, but now everything has changed

"We're not sure about this anymore," he said.

According to Cuomo, the New York Department of Health, together with the New York Genomic Center and Rockefeller University, is trying to find out if there is a genetic basis for the onset of the syndrome. Cases of its development in children with COVID-19 are also were recorded in the UK, Italy and Spain.

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Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked New York to develop national criteria for identifying the syndrome. It is known that it causes symptoms of toxic shock, and is also similar to Kawasaki disease, which leads to fever, skin rashes, swelling of the glands, and in severe cases, to inflammation of the heart arteries. Kawasaki disease affects mainly infants and children aged 1 to 5 years, its origin is unknown.

Scientists are still trying to determine if the syndrome is associated with the new coronavirus, because not all children with this syndrome have been diagnosed with COVID-19.