Michigan hits ‘record high’ for COVID-19 hospitalizations of children - Chicago Tribune

“The state is at a record high for hospitalizations for pediatrics during the entire pandemic and our hospital reflects that,” said Dr.

Statewide, 49 children were hospitalized Monday with either confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, according to state data.

Among the biggest drivers of coronavirus infections in the state, health officials have said, are outbreaks among youth athletes and those associated with K-12 schools.

The way the state and nation have targeted vaccines to older populations also could play a role in more kids getting sick with the virus now, Valentini said.

Only one COVID-19 vaccine now on the market — Pfizer-BioNTech’s — is approved for use in children ages 16 and older.

That’s why, Valentini said, “adults have to do the responsible thing and get ourselves vaccinated to protect the children because they can get it and they can spread it.”.

State health officials also have reported at least 99 cases of the rare pediatric condition known as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome-Children, or MIS-C, which can develop several weeks after a coronavirus infection and can lead to organ failure and death in kids.

As many as five Michigan children have died of MIS-C and/or active COVID-19 infections, though state health officials won’t release an exact total number of deaths from either disease.

“We suppress information in order to protect the privacy of individuals who can be more readily identified in a smaller cell when information such as the age can be used along with other publicly available information to identify someone,” Bob Wheaton, a spokesperson for the state health department, told the Free Press for a previous story.

“As we’re seeing more and more (COVID-19) cases in young people, we fear that we will see more cases of MIS-C at the Children’s Hospital, so we’re very prepared for that possibility,” Olivero said.

Of the children who develop MIS-C, 99% have tested positive for SARS CoV-2 or were in close contact with someone who had COVID-19, according to the CDC.

Olivero said it’s unknown what the long-term consequences of MIS-C are on the body, particularly on the heart.

“We would think (it) is going to affect our children with chronic medical conditions more than our healthy children, but our young healthy children seem to be the ones who get MIS-C,” Olivero said.

Most cases have occurred in children ages 1-14, but MIS-C has been identified in infants and adolescents up to 20 years old.

Although a “very small number” of children who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will go on to develop MIS-C, Olivero said parents should seek medical attention for their child if they are concerned the child may have the condition