Ontario’s COVID-19 description now includes rare side effect seen in children

Children who are infected by COVID-19 could be at risk of a rare inflammatory illness.

Ontario Minister of Health, Christine Elliot, issued a statement today about “multisystem inflammatory vasculitis,” a side effect of COVID-19 that has appeared in children in other countries.

In consultation with Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, the province has updated the description of COVID-19 to include multisystem inflammatory vasculitis.

“This will support clinicians in making clinical assessments of patients who may have symptoms, including some of the most vulnerable of patients, children,” Elliot said in a press release.

The symptoms of this potential side-effect are similar to Kawasaki Syndrome with inflamed blood vessels, gastrointestinal pain, and a persistent fever among other things.

The province continues to encourage parents to contact their doctor if they believe their child has COVID-19 or a related illness.

“While we are being vigilant to monitor any situation that could be related to COVID-19, recent data in Canada indicates that the majority of COVID-19 infections in children are mild and do not require hospitalization,” said Elliot in her statement. “People under the age of 19 make up five per cent of COVID-19 cases and no Canadian children are known to have died.”

This article was originally published on GuelphWire.