Health Department: Mysterious Illness Possibly Linked To Coronavirus In Children Now In Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG (AP/KDKA) -- The Health Department on Friday confirmed that Pennsylvania has seen cases of a serious rare inflammatory condition in children linked with the coronavirus.
After the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert Thursday, state health officials contacted hospitals and learned they have been treating children diagnosed with the condition, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, Dr. Rachel Levine, the state health secretary, said Friday.
Levine could not provide additional details. Now that CDC has published a case definition, Pennsylvania hospitals will begin reporting new cases through the state's data system, she said.
The condition has been reported in at least 110 New York children and in several kids in other states. A few children have died.
As for Pittsburgh, medical officials said on Thursday that there are no cases of the illness.
Some children may have symptoms resembling Kawasaki disease, a rare condition in children that can cause swelling and heart problems.
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