4 children dead from COVID in NJ since Christmas

NEW JERSEY - There have been four COVID-19 related deaths of children including three infants in New Jersey since Christmas, New Jersey State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli announced on Monday.

The shocking update comes as COVID cases wane during the current surge of the omicron variant.

"The virus continues to test our health care system and can cause severe consequences against children," said Persichilli during a COVID briefing alongside Gov. Phil Murphy.

Along with the deaths, the state reported six cases of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in children on Friday, the most ever reported in a single day. All six children were hospitalized. 

Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app!  |  Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters

MIS-C is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most children diagnosed with MIS-C have gotten better with medical care.

"A reminder, that COVID-19 isn't always a benign illness in children," added Persichilli.

Since last week, 10 new cases of MIS-C were reported in NJ for a total of 166 children with MISC.

As of Monday, 4,093 people were hospitalized in New Jersey with COVID-19.