LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two pediatric patients are being treated for inflammatory symptoms that may be associated with COVID, according to Norton Children's Hospital.
Tuesday, a hospital spokesperson said they are unable to release specific information about the children, nor could they confirm if either patient was the child mentioned during Governor Beshear's Monday coronavirus briefing.
"We cannot confirm any details about them, including ages and conditions, nor can we confirm that one of them is the 10-year-old the governor mentioned last night."
They provided general information via Zoom about the symptoms.
Dr. Kris Bryant said over the last couple of weeks, some children, in UK and other US cities, are showing symptoms that's similar to Kawasaki Disease (KD). Dr. Bryant says Kawasaki isn't anything new, they see it in children all the time. The biggest concern is that KD effects the blood vessels including ones that supply the heart, Dr. Bryant says.
Most children aren't showing signs or symptoms of the syndrome until about a month after a COVID-19 infection, Dr. Bryant said.
Dr. Stack with the Kentucky Public Health Department said a 16-year-old is being treated for this. Dr Stack referred to it as-'pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome.'
“This is a serious disease and it spreads very easy, and while the statistics are good for children, most are going to be perfectly fine, the statistics are not perfect,” Dr. Stack said.
Unfortunately, he said a 16-year-old Kentuckian has been hospitalized with the virus but is not relying on a ventilator to breathe. Dr. Stack said the new syndrome is being recognized in young people related to the coronavirus that causes their immune systems to become overactive, sparking an inflammatory response in their bodies.
Clinical signs include: fever, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, irritation and redness of the whites of the eyes, swollen lymph glands in the neck, and irritation and inflammation of the mouth, lips, and throat.
According to the CDC's website, Kawasaki disease (KD) is also known as Kawasaki syndrome. It is an acute febrile illness of unknown etiology that primarily affects children younger than 5 years of age. The disease was first described in Japan by Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, and the first cases outside of Japan were reported in Hawaii in 1976.
Governor Beshear: "Coronavirus is hitting everyone"
During his news conference this past Saturday, Beshear also reminded parents that children and young adults are contracting COVID-19, but it's deadlier in older adults. Saturday's new cases included children and young adults whose ages ranged from one to 23 years old.
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