An expert has said that there is up to 100 children in the UK that have the rare “hyper inflammatory” disease which is linked to coronavirus.
The rare syndrome is similar to the Kawasaki disease which can cause major problems with the heart, which killed a 14-year old boy who had no underlying health conditions.
Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said “75 to 100” children across the UK have been affected by the disease.
Professor Russel told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that parents should be made aware of the disease, they do not need to be “too concerned.”
He said, “We can count the number of children that have died with coronavirus on the fingers of two hands, compared to over 30,000 in adults. And that tells us most of what we need to know.”
He added there are “very few cases, 75 to 100 across the country.
“The important thing to say is most are being treated well, many are going home, most haven’t gone to intensive care units.”
Dr Hanna, who is a consultant in children’s intensive care, told the PA news agency, children who have the illness have a “reasonably long stay in hospital,” with some being admitted for up to two or three weeks.
“The majority are in high dependency, so not the highest level of intensive care.
“We have got a handful of children in intensive care but they are not currently requiring the highest levels of support, which is good as some of the children we have had prior to this have been much sicker.”
With the exception of the 14-year old boy, all children have survived, Dr Hanna said.
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