SEATTLE — Seattle has had its first confirmed case of a rare inflammatory disease in children closely tied to COVID-19.
The disease being called “pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome” was identified and treated at Seattle Children’s Hospital, KUOW reported.
King County Public Health said the patient was a resident of Snohomish County and there have been no other confirmed cases in the area.
The Oregon Health Authority announced Wednesday that state’s confirmed first case of the disease in a child.
The case in Oregon involves a girl who had confirmed COVID-19. She is being treated at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Portland.
It involves a “hyper response” of the child’s immune system to the virus, according to Dr. Michael Portman, who directs pediatric cardiovascular research at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
It can lead to inflammation of the blood vessels, and affect the heart’s arteries, leading to coronary aneurysms. In similar diseases, that can lead to lifelong heart issues, Portman said. The syndrome is rare and most children infected with the virus develop only mild illness.
The disease is being linked to COVID-19, Portman said, because almost all of the patients have had confirmed cases of the virus, positive antibody tests, or known exposure.
Portman said it is very similar and at times appears almost identical to a disease called “Kawasaki disease,” which was identified in Japan in the 1960s.
