Westchester County officials on Friday said a boy with an inflammatory syndrome potentially related to COVID-19 has died. This comes after the state’s first such death in New York City on Thursday and more than 70 cases statewide.
Dr. Michael Gewitz is physician-in-chief at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.
“We have experienced one loss here, in a child with a serious neurologic complication and presentation of this syndrome,” Dr. Gewitz says.
He says 11 children have been admitted to the hospital with what is called Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome. They range from infants to teenagers. County health officials say all the children tested positive for COVID-19 as well as for antibodies. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state Department of Health is investigating evidence that COVID-19 can cause this severe illness in children. The Health Department has issued an advisory to inform health-care providers about the disease.
