Two children in New York have died from a serious inflammatory disease possibly linked to COVID-19, officials said Friday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his coronavirus briefing that a 5-year-old boy had died and dozens of other children had fallen ill. Cuomo said that there were 73 reported cases in New York of children becoming severely ill with symptoms to the rare Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome.

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Another child, who was 7 years old, also died of the serious inflammatory disease, according to officials in Westchester County.

“So caution to all people who may have believed their child couldn’t be affected by COVID, this information suggests we may want to revisit that ‘fact,' that assumption,” Cuomo said.

Health officials are calling the cause pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Experts say it appears to be a post-viral reaction to COVID-19.

Children may have COVID-19 without showing symptoms, so doctors say to take a child quickly to a pediatrician if they have had a fever for three or more days and are throwing up. Other symptoms include a rash that looks similar to sunburn.

While it could be threatening, doctors want to make clear that it's rare in most cases.

"It's rare, and that's really important ... most kids who get this coronavirus infection are just fine," says Dr. James Schneider, of Cohen Children's Hospital. "Even those with a fever will be just fine."

 

 

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