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HEALTH Wednesday 29 april 2020
European doctors warn rare kids' syndrome may have virus tie

By MARIA CHENG To date, children have
AP Medical Writer been among the least af-
LONDON (AP) — Doctors fected group by the coro-
in Britain, Italy, and Spain navirus. Data from more
have been warned to look than 75,000 cases in China
out for a rare inflammatory showed they comprised
condition in children that is 2.4% of all cases and most-
possibly linked to the new ly suffered only mild symp-
coronavirus. toms.
Earlier this week, Britain’s The World Health Organi-
Paediatric Intensive Care zation said it was attempt-
Society issued an alert to ing to gather more infor-
doctors noting that, in the mation on any new, coro-
past three weeks, there has navirus-related syndrome
been an increase in the in children from its global
number of children with “a network of doctors but had
multi-system inflammatory not received any official
state requiring intensive reports about it. q
care” across the country.
The group said there was
“growing concern” that
either a COVID-19 related
syndrome was emerging in Hospital workers hold placards with the names of their colleagues who have died from coronavirus
children or that a different, at University College Hospital in London, Tuesday, April 28, 2020.
unidentified disease might Associated Press.
be responsible. doctors were considering wasaki disease in regions Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a Uni-
“We already know that a other potential causes for of Italy hit hard by the pan- versity of Florida pediatrics
very small number of chil- the syndrome, including demic, noting some chil- professor, noted one similar
dren can become severely other viruses or new medi- dren had COVID-19 or had case in the United States
ill with COVID-19 but this is cations, “the working hy- contacts with confirmed involving a 6-month old girl
very rare,” said Dr. Russell pothesis is that it’s COVID- virus cases. in California who was diag-
Viner, president of the Roy- related.” “These children do not re- nosed with Kawasaki dis-
al College of Paediatrics Spain’s Association of Pe- spond to traditional treat- ease and then COVID-19.
and Child Health. diatrics recently made a ment,” he said, adding that That report, from Stanford
He said the syndrome was similar warning, telling doc- some were given a high University, doesn’t clarify
likely caused by an over- tors that in recent weeks, dose of steroids. whether both illnesses hap-
reaction of the body’s im- there had been a number Those who developed tox- pened coincidentally or
mune system and noted of school-age children suf- ic shock syndrome needed if COVID-19 might have
similar symptoms had been fering from “an unusual help breathing and were somehow caused Kawa-
seen in some adults infect- picture of abdominal pain, admitted to intensive care saki disease, said Rasmus-
ed with the coronavirus. accompanied by gastro- units, Ravelli said. sen, who co-authored a
The cases were also report- intestinal symptoms” that Kawasaki symptoms in- recent JAMA Pediatrics ar-
ed to have features of toxic could lead within hours to clude a high temperature ticle about COVID-19 and
shock syndrome or Kawa- shock, low blood pressure that lasts for 5 days or more, children.
saki disease, a rare blood and heart problems. a rash and swollen glands “We’ll need more informa-
vessel disorder. Only some “It is a priority to recognize in the neck, according to tion published in the peer-
of the children tested posi- these (symptoms) to ur- Britain’s National Health reviewed literature to bet-
tive for COVID-19, so scien- gently refer these patients Service. ter understand this associa-
tists are unsure if these rare to a hospital,” the pediatric Dr. James Gill, an honorary tion. However, Kawasaki
symptoms are caused by association said. clinical lecturer at Warwick disease is a relatively rare
the new coronavirus or by In Italy, Dr. Angelo Ravelli Medical School, said while condition, so seeing these
something else. of Gaslini Hospital and a the reports were concern- cases makes us concerned
Health officials estimate member of the Italian Pae- ing there was still no solid that Kawasaki disease
there have been about diatricians’ Society, sent a evidence that the rare syn- could be a rare complica-
10-20 such cases in Britain note to 10,000 colleagues drome was caused by CO- tion of COVID-19,” she said.
and NHS England said it is raising his concerns. VID-19. “We need to remain vigi-
urgently investigating the He and his team reported Some possible cases have lant when we see children
reports. an unusual increase in the also been reported in with findings that aren’t
Viner said that although number of patients with Ka- France and Belgium. typical for COVID-19.”

Is it safe to order take-out during the pandemic?

By The Associated Press eating food," says Michelle Danyluk For take-out, the FDA advises restau-
Is it safe to order food via take-out at the University of Florida, which rant workers and customers to stay
or delivery? published tips on food safety amid at least six feet from others.
Unlike some germs, there's no indi- the pandemic. The risk from packaging is "likely very
cation the coronavirus can spread The biggest concern remains per- low," according to the Centers for
through food, according to the U.S. son-to-person contact. Contactless Disease Control and Prevention.
Food and Drug Administration. delivery, in which the order is left To be safe, Danyluk advises hand
"This is a respiratory virus, not a food- outside the recipient's door, reduces washing before and after touching
borne virus ... you can't catch it from that risk. food or packaging.q