Rise in cases of children with coronavirus-related illness, British doctors warn

Doctors in Britain say that in recent weeks there has been a spike in children suffering an inflammatory syndrome.

Children of key workers take part in school activities at Oldfield Brow Primary School in Altrincham, England. Picture: Getty Images

Doctors in Britain have warned of a rise in children being admitted to intensive care wards with a coronavirus-related condition.

National Health Service medics say that in recent weeks there has been a spike in children suffering an “inflammatory syndrome,” a complication which carries all the symptoms of serious COVID-19 — difficulty breathing and dry coughs — alongside gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhoea and vomiting.

The Paediatric Intensive Care Society said the condition remains unidentified — but cases are being reported across the entire UK.

“Many of these children had tested positive for COVID-19, while some had not,” the society said in a media release.

Last night we quoted information we had received of a small number of cases of children presenting with an unusual clinical picture possibly related to COVID-19. This was intended to inform medical professionals. See our website for a full statement: https://t.co/b3ycndpjC8

— PICSUK (@PICSociety) April 27, 2020

Doctors have also warned the cases have features of atypical Kawasaki disease, a condition that attacks the heart’s blood vessels, and toxic shock syndrome.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock called the condition “very worrying”.

The Sun reports that in the alert, sent to GPs in North London, health chiefs said: “There is growing concern that a (COVID-19) related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK.

“Over the last three weeks, there has been an apparent rise in the number of children of all ages presenting with a multi-system inflammatory state requiring intensive care across London and also in other regions of the UK.”

The alert was issued by the Paediatric Intensive Care Society on Sunday night, which also said children presenting with such symptoms should be referred to ICU or paediatric infectious disease experts “as a matter of urgency.”

COVID-19 typically does not affect children as seriously as it does older individuals, with the disease manifesting itself without symptoms in many children.