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DENVER – There have now been 29 confirmed cases in Colorado of a still-mysterious inflammatory syndrome seen in children and young adults believed to be a sequel to the virus that causes COVID-19, public health officials said Wednesday .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said hospitals in Colorado reported the highest number of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in December than had been reported so far. ‘now throughout the pandemic.
The department said the data matches the rise in COVID-19 cases the state saw in October and November and that it expects the number of cases to increase as the CDC continues to review the possible cases of December.
Public health officials and scientists are still working to learn more about the syndrome, which appears most often in children who have had COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone infected with the virus. But the CDPHE said the official cause of MIS-C has still not been determined.
The department first warned of MIS-C in May, when three children were confirmed to have the syndrome. In July, two people had died from MIS-C – deaths the state said occurred in the spring.
The CDPHE said on Wednesday there were no other deaths linked to the syndrome, which typically affects children aged 5 to 15, but has been found in young adults up to age 20 – including a 20-year-old from Boulder County, the local public health department. identified in October.
As some Colorado schoolchildren return to class and more districts hope they can start this process soon, CDPHE’s chief medical officer said it’s time to remind people that the syndrome can occur in children who often have mild cases of COVID-19. or who are asymptomatic.
“There is still a lot we don’t know about MIS-C and the noticeable increase in cases is a clear reminder that our children are also at risk for serious complications from COVID-19,” the doctor said- head of CDPHE, Dr Eric France. “As face-to-face learning resumes, it is important that students continue to take steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as masking, practicing physical distancing, handwashing and posturing at home when they are sick. “
Symptoms associated with MIS-C include inflammation of the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal system, as well as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, bloodshot eyes and more.
The CDPHE said parents of children with symptoms should contact their child’s health care provider and seek emergency care for potentially life-threatening symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe pain, inability to stay awake, blue lips or faces or severe abdominals. pain.
The department also recommends that children of all ages be tested for COVID-19 if they show symptoms.
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