The Chippewa County Department of Public Health has confirmed two cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 in Chippewa County. The children are between three and twelve years old. To protect privacy, and out of respect for the families, no other patient information will be disclosed.
“Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare, but serious condition that is seen with COVID infection in children. It is related to severe inflammation and can affect many parts of the body. Symptoms may include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the stomach as well as other symptoms. If your child is severely sick with those symptoms, they should be evaluated immediately,” said Dr. Ken Johnson, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Clinical Operations – Western Wisconsin, Prevea Health.
Most cases of MIS-C are in children between the ages of three and twelve years old who had COVID-19 or were in close contact with someone with COVID-19.
“We continue to see more and more young people contracting and spreading COVID-19, and we know MIS-C is a threat to our youngest community members,” said Dr. Jeremy Forster, Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System. “The best thing you can do to prevent MIS-C is to protect your child against COVID-19: get your child vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask, practice physical distancing, wash your hands, stay home when sick, and get tested for COVID-19”.
Parents should go to the nearest hospital/emergency room for medical care if a child is showing any severe MIS-C warning signs such as trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest that does not go away, discolored lips or face, inability to wake up or stay awake, new confusion, or severe abdominal pain.
The CDC issued a Health Advisory on May 14, 2020 about the syndrome. For more information on MIS-C, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Service’s (WI DHS) page at www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disease/mis-c.htm.
