490,000 Children Aged 12 and Under Contract COVID-19 官方統計:12歲以下童確診 今年已49萬例

The latest Central Epidemic Command Center statistics show that 490,000 children aged 12 and under have contracted COVID-19 this year. National Taiwan University Hospital has so far treated 15 cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

Six-year-old Rui Rui is delighted to receive a present from the medical personnel. He became infected with COVID-19 at the beginning of May. At the beginning of June, he presented symptoms including fever, conjunctivitis, and shock. He was diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and received emergency care inside an ICU at one point. At the same time, his four-year-old brother was also diagnosed with MIS-C. Luckily, the brothers have recovered and been discharged after responding to treatment.

Ms. Wu, MIS-C Patients' Parent: “We brought him to get emergency treatment on June 6. He developed all the symptoms in the 24 hours between June 5 and 6. His heart failed and he went into shock, so he was put in the ICU.”

National Taiwan University Hospital's medical team said that infection with the novel coronavirus in children with special constitutions may trigger a cytokine storm, causing the whole body to become inflamed and resulting in MIS-C. NTU Hospital has treated 15 MIS-C cases so far this year. The average patient age is six, and none were vaccinated. They developed MIS-C symptoms including fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and stomach pain about 20 to 30 days after COVID-19 infection. Six cases, or 40 percent, went into shock. 

Chang Luan-yin, Deputy Director, Dept. of Pediatrics, NTU Hospital: “Foreign reports indicate the mortality rate is about two percent. Whether there will be sequelae will depend on how quickly you're diagnosed and treated.”

Parents are reminded that MIS-C can occur in anyone under 18 and can affect heart function, so they should be alert for symptoms including fever, rash, conjunctivitis, stomach pain, reduced activity, and reduced urine quantity, in the six weeks after COVID-19 infection and seek immediate medical treatment if needed.

醫護人員送上可愛的布娃娃，讓6歲的睿睿好開心！事實上今年5月初，睿睿才確診新冠肺炎，6月初又出現發燒、紅眼、休克等症狀，送醫診斷為MIS-C，還一度進加護病房急救。沒想到同一時間，4歲的弟弟也被診斷為MIS-C，讓做媽媽的心急如焚，幸好經過治療後，兄弟檔都已康復出院。

MIS-C病童家長吳小姐說：「6月6日送急診，就是6月5日到6月6日24小時裡面，他就是全部的症狀都出來，然後他也發生了心臟衰竭，甚至是休克，所以住進加護病房。」

台大醫療團隊表示，所謂MIS-C兒童多系統發炎症候群，致病機轉可能是新冠病毒攻擊人體後，有特殊體質的孩童產生免疫風暴，而造成全身系統發炎。以台大醫院為例，今年已收治15名MIS-C個案，年齡中位數是6歲，都沒打過疫苗，在確診後20到30天，出現發燒、紅疹、頸部淋巴結腫及腹痛等症狀，並有6人、約4成孩童曾發生休克。

台大醫院小兒部副主任張鑾英表示：「國外報告它的死亡率大概是2%，有沒有後遺症，取決於說你是不是有快速的診斷跟治療。」

醫師提醒家長，MIS-C好發於18歲以下兒童或青少年，且會影響到孩童心臟功能，因此當小朋友染疫後6個星期內，若發燒、合併出疹、紅眼、腸胃道不適、活動力降低、尿量減少等症狀時就要提高警覺，及早就醫檢查評估。