The first case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome is confirmed in a South Dakota COVID-19 patient. The syndrome appears to impact children with coronavirus.
State Department of Health officials say the case is in a child under the age of 18 in eastern South Dakota. They would not release the specific county of residence, citing confidentiality concerns.
State epidemiologist Josh Clayton says the inflammatory syndrome impacts multiple organ systems.
“It’s typically when you have inflammation of more than one organ system within the body. That includes heart, lung, kidneys, the brain, eyes, skin, gastrointestinal system and so on," he explains.
Symptoms can depend on which systems are affected. Clayton says the most common are fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and fatigue.
“Information that we have really does lend itself to potential association with COVID-19, but that definitive link has not been fully identified," he says.
Clayton says areas like New York that saw increases in COVID-19 also saw increases in multisystem inflammatory syndrome. He says even though the direct link hasn’t been proven, the Department of Health takes COVID-19 test results into account when diagnosing the syndrome.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome seems to mainly impact children and adolescents.