Two young children and a teenager in New York have died from a rare inflammatory condition that may be linked to COVID-19.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed the death of a 5-year-old boy May 8, which is believed to be the state's first known death related to the illness, according to The New York Times. A 7-year old in Westchester County and a teenager in Suffolk County have also died from the serious inflammatory disease, Mr. Cuomo said May 9.
Health officials first identified the condition, known as "pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19" in late April. Mr. Cuomo said 73 children in New York are suspected to have the condition, which can lead to heart inflammation and has features similar to toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease. Symptoms can include change in skin color, trouble breathing or breathing very quickly and prolonged fever (for more than five days).
At the CDC's request, New York is helping develop a national criteria for identifying and responding to COVID-19-related illness in kids. The state health department is partnering with the New York Genome Center and Rockefeller University, both in New York City, to conduct a study to better understand illnesses in children related to the new coronavirus and the genetic basis of this syndrome.
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Editor's note: This article was updated May 11 at 9:52 a.m. CDT to provide additional information.
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