According to reports, two children have died after being afflicted with PMIS in Mumbai (File)
Eighteen out of the nearly 100 coronavirus positive children admitted to Mumbai's Wadia hospital have shown symptoms of Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, a Kawasaki disease-type ailment, in a major cause of worry for doctors. The malady, first discovered by Japanese paediatrician Tomisku Kawasaki, causes fever, skin rash, redness of eyes, fatigue and diarrhoea and can be fatal if untreated.
According to reports, two children have died after being afflicted with PMIS in Mumbai.
"Two children have died. One had COVID-19 along with cancer. And one of the children, who had come to us, was in a very serious state. They had the illness for two weeks and then the patient was referred to us. The patient had to be put on ventilator and died in six hours because we did not get much time with her. Four are recovering now and the rest are being discharged," Medical Director at Wadia Children's Hospital, Dr. Shakuntala Prabhu, told NDTV.
Dr Amish Vora, a paediatrician at SRCC Children's Hospital and Secretary of the Critical Care Society, shed light on some characteristics of the disease.
"There is fever for around two to three days along with abdominal pain, loose motions. 100% patients have fever, 80% have loose motions and vomiting, 60% children's eyes are red, and others have blisters in the month and rashes on the skin. We need to watch this carefully and if you see these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. We are reporting such cases every alternate day and around 100 such children have been admitted to big government hospitals and Wadia Hospitals," he said.
Mumbai resident Ravindra Borkar said his ten-year-old niece has PMIS. He said it took a long time for the doctors to diagnose what is wrong with her.
"My brother has a 10-year-old daughter. The doctor in my area had discussed Malaria and Typhoid. We struggled for days. Then we got here and the doctor said her blood pressure is down and it is under 70. Then the treatment started and an IVIG injection was administered, which helped her recover, but she is still in the isolation ward," he said.
The disease is usually seen in children below five years, but worryingly, PMIS in India is being seen in children between the age of 10 months to 15 years.
Doctors have been researching on these cases, and the ICMR is being informed about their findings. They say these cases have been reported in Mumbai since June. Such cases have been reported in Chennai, Delhi and Jaipur as well.