One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
LA County Reports First Child Death From Rare Illness Linked To Covid-19
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles on April 28, 2020. Chava Sanchez/Laist
Los Angeles County has reported the first death of a child from a rare illness linked to COVID-19.
The illness is multisystem inflammatory syndrome, also known as MIS-C.
In a statement to LAist/KPCC, Children's Hospital Los Angeles says the child had a complex, pre-existing cardiac condition. No other details were released.
Doctor Dean Blumberg is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children's Hospital. He says the disease is rare, but serious for some children:
It usually involves several systems, so the children often present with heart involvement and that's the most serious involvement, but also can cause gastrointestinal issues like rash, kidney problems, liver problems ... and these kids can be really, really sick.
State data shows at least 145 reported cases of the illness among children in California.
The CDC says nearly 1,300 cases have been reported nationally; about two dozen of those children have died.
Sponsored message
OVERALL LOOK AT LA COUNTY NUMBERS:
Here's a look at longer-term trends in the county. To see more, visit our California COVID-19 Tracker and choose L.A. County or any other California county that interests you.
These numbers are current as of Wednesday, Dec. 9:
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
