COVID-19 UPDATE: Kilkenny doctors warned to watch for mysterious syndrome affecting children

Parents and doctors in Kilkenny have been warned to watch for a mysterious Covid-linked severe inflammatory syndrome affecting children.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said a warning from the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) says several countries recently reported cases of children being hospitalised in intensive care because of a rare paediatric inflammatory multi-system syndrome.

Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain and Cardiac issues, and are a mix of those for Kawasaki disease (an illness that causes inflammation  in blood vessels) and toxic shock syndrome.

A definitive link with Covid-19 has not been established, but appears possible, according to  the ECDC.

Only 230 suspected cases have been reported in Europe and two children have died, while there have been seven possible cases here.

The World Health Organization confirmed it is studying a possible link between Covid-19 and a rare inflammatory illness among children.