Three more children have been diagnosed with the rare and potentially deadly multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, in Los Angeles County, health officials reported Friday.
The new cases bring the total to 31 children in the county who are confirmed to have the illness since the pandemic began, according the L.A. County Public Health Department.
All 31 of the children have been hospitalized and nearly half were treated in intensive care units, officials said. There are no reported deaths in the county for children who have the illness.
But as of Sept. 3, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of 16 deaths nationwide, with 792 confirmed cases of MIS-C in 42 states and Washington D.C.
Of the 31 cases in L.A. County, 26% were between the ages of 0 and 5 years old, 39% were between the ages of 6 and 12 years old, and 35% were between the ages of 13 and 20 years old, officials said.
Latino children account for 71% of all such cases in the county, matching a similar figure across the U.S., with more than 70% of reported cases occurring in children who are Hispanic/Latino (276 cases) or non-Hispanic Black (230 cases), the CDC said. Latinos and Black people have also been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
MIS-C symptoms in children include inflamed body parts, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. The illness may carry lifelong health impacts, according to health officials.
In some cases, the condition affects those who have been exposed to COVID-19, and most patients develop the sickness within a month of being infected with the virus, according to the CDC.
Parents and guardians are urged to contact their child’s primary care provider if they believe they’re displaying symptoms. If they do not have a primary care provider, dial 211 and the county will help connect them to one.
