Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Outbreaks of the respiratory infection known as MIS-C, which affects children who have contracted COVID-19, trailed a few weeks behind the coronavirus, ultimately following its path from cities out into more rural areas, according to a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Why it matters: Although children are at a very low risk for severe COVID-19 infections, the lingering effects of MIS-C can be more serious.
By the numbers: The CDC has identified 3,185 cases of MIS-C since the onset of the pandemic. 36 children have died.
Details: The JAMA study found that peaks of MIS-C infection followed two to five weeks behind peaks in COVID-19 cases.
- About 60% of the children in that analysis were admitted to intensive care units. Common symptoms included abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, well as skin rash, low blood pressure and heart problems.
- Most of those cases stemmed from asymptomatic COVID-19 infections.
The bottom line: Widespread vaccination is making the pandemic far less deadly, but rising COVID-19 cases still have consequences.