Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported four cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children. These four cases are among the 8,000 plus paediatric COVID-19 cases on the island since the beginning of the pandemic.
In a press release shared on Saturday (6 November), the Health Ministry said that the cases found to date are "considered rare."
4 Cases Of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome In Children
According to the ministry's statement, one of the four cases is currently in the Children's Intensive Care Unit (CICU) while another is in a General Ward. The other two children have been discharged.
The four cases of multi-system inflammatory in children are as follows:
1. Three-year-old boy
MOH says the child was admitted to the National University Hospital (NUH) CICU on 16 October 2021.
While he repeatedly tested PCR-negative, his serology tests results indicated that he was likely infected with COVID-19. This was two to six weeks prior to the development of multi-system inflammatory syndrome.
The boy has since recovered and was discharged on October 23.
2. Eight-year-old boy
On 27 October 2021, the said boy was reportedly admitted to KK Women's and Children's Hospital's (KKH) CICU. He was previously diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year on September 30.
MOH states that the child has since recovered and was discharged on November 1.
3. Four-year-old boy
Another boy was admitted to KKH CICU on 1 November, 2021. As of Saturday, he remains in the CICU and his breathing has to be supported by mechanical ventilation.
The boy tested positive for COVID-19 earlier on September 24. He is currently under the care of the KKH paediatric teams.
4. Two-month-old baby
The fourth case is that of two-month-old baby girl, who was admitted to KKH General Ward last Wednesday (2 November). The infant was previously admitted to KKH for COVID-19 on October 12, and was later discharged on October 19.
The ministry says her condition remains stable with no oxygen requirement.
Risk Of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome In Children
Back in May 2020, MOH reported that an international review from 26 countries found a multi-system inflammatory syndrome incidence of 0.14% among all children infected with COVID-19. This data makes it 14 in 10,000 cases of children developing the condition.
It is similar in presentation to Kawasaki Disease which is linked to various virus or bacterial infections. It occurs in 150 to 200 children a year in Singapore alone.
Symptoms of multi-system inflammatory in children include the following:
- Persistent fever above 38.5°C for three days or more
- Difficulty breathing
- Headache
- Neck swelling
- Rash
- Swollen hands and feet
- Conjunctivitis
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
"As MIS-C is linked to previous COVID-19 infection, measures such as mask wearing, hand hygiene, and safe distancing measures remain important to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 infection," advised MOH.
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