230 children in Europe affected and two died from new life-threatening inflammatory syndrome linked to Covid-19
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A new life-threatening inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 has affected 230 children in Europe and killed two so far this year, a regional health body said on Friday, as medics worldwide were asked to be on alert.
The Swedish-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a risk report that two children had succumbed to the condition: one in Britain and one in France.
The new coronavirus has so far taken its greatest toll on the elderly and those with chronic health conditions, but reports about the syndrome in children have raised fears it could pose a greater risk to the young than first through.
At a briefing in Geneva, the World Health Organisation (WHO) urged clinicians to be alert to the rare syndrome, but cautioned that links to COVID-19 were still unclear.
The condition, known as paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS), shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease including fever, rashes, swollen glands and, in severe cases, heart inflammation.
“I call on all clinicians worldwide to work with your national authorities and WHO to be alert and better understand this syndrome in children,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The ECDC said that In total, about 230 suspected cases of this new paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS) have been reported in EU/EEA countries and the UK in 2020, including two fatalities, one in the UK and one in France. These cases are being further investigated. So far, epidemiological studies have shown that children appear to be less affected by COVID-19. Only 2.1% of all laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to The European Surveillance System (TESSy) were in the age group between 0 and 14 years of age.
To date, an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and this new clinical entity of multisystem inflammation has not yet been established, although an association appears plausible. At current, the risk is assessed as follows:
The overall risk of COVID-19 in children in the EU/EEA and UK is currently considered low, based on alow probability of COVID-19 in children and a moderate impact of such disease.
The overall risk of PIMS-TS in children in the EU/EEA and the UK – is considered low, based on a verylow probability of PIMS-TS in children and a high impact of such disease.
While the clinical management of these children has absolute priority, data collection from EU/EEA Member States and the UK would strengthen the body of knowledge for this rare condition and allow for a better analysis of these cases. An analysis of surveillance data could clarify the incidence of KD/PIMS and identify the most affected age groups and risk factors for both conditions.
ECDC has agreed with the EU/EAA Member States and the UK to include PIMS as a possible complication to be reported for EU-level COVID-19 surveillance. Research efforts should aim at a) determining the role of SARS-CoV-2 in the pathogenesis of PIMS-TS and b) answering other significant remaining questions.
Risk communication is needed to raise awareness in the medical community about PIMS-TS and inform parents and caregivers about signs and symptoms. The importance of timely contact with a healthcare worker should be stressed. Risk communication should emphasise that PIMS-TS is a rare condition and that its potential link with COVID-19 is neither established nor well understood.
