State confirms 5 cases of pediatric illness linked to COVID-19

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed five cases in the Richmond area of a pediatric inflammatory illness associated with the coronavirus.

The department said in a news release on Monday that the condition is known as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children or MIS-C. It causes inflammation of one or more organ systems. Those include the heart, lungs and brain.

MIS-C can be serious and even deadly. But most children who’ve been diagnosed with it have improved with medical care.

The department said the cases have coincided with the surge in cases of COVID-19 in the Richmond metro area. Other states have also reported increases of the syndrome as the overall COVID rate has risen.