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11 cases of coronavirus-related condition in children reported in Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. — There are 11 cases of a rare COVID-19 related condition in children in Washington state, the health department announced Friday.

The State Department of Health says Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is rare but a serious condition.

According to the Department of Health, an MIS-C case is defined as a patient under 21 years old, with a fever, laboratory evidence of inflammation and severe illness involving more than two organs that requires hospitalization.

Also, patients must have no other plausible diagnoses as well as a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to a confirmed case in the four weeks before their symptoms began.

“While MIS-C is very rare, parents should be aware it can happen and contact their health care provider if their children develop new or unusual symptoms,” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer for the DOH. “We are tracking this issue closely and continue to ask health care providers to be on the lookout and immediately report possible cases to local health.”

MIS-C was first identified by health care providers in the United Kingdom in late April.

In the state, their six cases are 9 years old or younger and there are five cases that are 10 years old or older. The Department of Health said there are two cases in Franklin County, three cases in King County, one case in Skagit County, two cases in Snohomish County and three cases in Yakima County.

In the United States, 40 states have reported a total of 570 cases.