CDC confirms link between pediatric mystery illness and COVID-19, says de Blasio
NEW YORK - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked an inflammatory illness in children to COVID-19, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
There are 145 cases of the inflammatory condition as of Monday. Sixty-seven of those cases tested positive for COVID-19, said de Blasio during his daily briefing on the coronavirus.
The CDC is referring to the syndrome as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. Local and state officials had been referring to the syndrome as pediatric multisymptom inflammatory syndrome in children.
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"The CDC has confirmed a link to COVID-19. This is important, we assumed it, but they have done additional research to 100 percent confirm it and released a national standard definition," said de Blasio.
Additional symptoms from the CDC that parents should look out for in children is persistent fever, irritability, sluggishness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, conjunctivitis, enlarged lymph node on one side of the next, red cracked lips or red tongue, swollen hands and feet.
"Everything else we do to fight the coronavirus we need to do to fight MIS-C. The hygiene, the washing hands, the hand sanitizer, the coughing into your elbow when you cough or sneeze, staying home as much as possible, social distancing, that's the best way to avoid this challenge," said de Blasio.
Across New York State, three children have died from MIS-C including a five-year-old boy in NYC, a 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman.