08-09-2020

The emergence of a rare but severe health condition in Covid positive children has left the state worried.

The multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), or paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (PIMS), is the mysterious disease being reported in the state.Though the health department has not revealed its exact number of cases, sources said the disease was reported in a couple of children.

They were treated at SAT Hospital and have recovered. From what has been observed, MIS-C affects children two to four weeks after the onset of Covid-19.

�Since the Covid-19 outbreak, such cases are being reported in children around the world. In India, similar cases were reported from places like Mumbai and Chennai. Kerala had to deal with only a minuscule number of cases so far,� said a health department officer.

The officer said the disease is rare and most of the affected children get better with medical care.

�However, in some cases, their health may worsen to the point where their lives are at risk,� said the officer.

Said Dr Balachandar D of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Kerala, �MIS-C is a condition in which some parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, digestive system, brain, skin or eyes, become inflamed. It shares some of the signs and symptoms as another condition, the Kawasaki disease (KD).�