Tri-City area child diagnosed with rare COVID-related illness. Just 4th in the state

A child in the Pasco area has been diagnosed with a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, an illness associated with COVID-19, said the Benton Franklin Health District.

It is one of four cases of the syndrome identified in Washington state and the first in the Tri-Cities area.

The child is under 10 and is hospitalized.

No additional information has been released to protect the family’s privacy.

Children diagnosed with the illness are healthy before developing symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease.

Parents are advised to watch for symptoms such as fever or headache, abdominal pain with or without diarrhea, fatigue and respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, said Dr. John McGuire, chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

They must have had a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to a confirmed case within the past four weeks for a diagnosis of the syndrome, referred to as MIS-C, to be considered.

McGuire said the syndrome remains “very uncommon.”

Seattle Children’s Hospital has treated at least two of the state’s children diagnosed with MIS-C. One was a King County child and the other was a Snohomish County resident.

A child in Yakima County also has been diagnosed with MIS-C.

COVID cases in children

“Parents who are concerned about possible COVID-19 in their children should contact their medical provider,” said Dr. Amy Person, health officer for Benton and Franklin counties.

“It’s important to identify this syndrome early because treatments are available for the serious complications,” she said. “While most children appear to have mild or asymptomatic infections, rare complications like MIS-C can occur.”

Benton and Franklin counties have had 58 known cases of new coronvirus infection in children under age 10 and another 78 cases in ages 10 through 19.

People under age 21 may be diagnosed with MIS-C if they have fever, laboratory evidence of inflammation and severe illness involving more than two organs that requires hospitalization if no other plausible diagnosis can be made and they have been exposed to COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

“In Washington, we are tracking this issue closely and working with local health departments and providers to learn more,” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer for the Washington Department of Health.

“Early last week we asked all health care providers in the state to be on the lookout and immediately report possible cases to local health authorities,” she said on May 22.

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 4:58 PM.