What Is Kawasaki Disease? Know About The Syndrome That Could Pose Threat To COVID-19 Recovered Patients

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has claimed that multi-inflammatory syndrome, which is a Kawasaki-like illness, is less common among Covid-19 patients in India.

Representational Photo: AFP

Though India has achieved several significant milestones in its fight against COVID-19, more complications have just started to brew up as patients after weeks and months of recovering from Covid-19 have reported health problems such as loss of smell and taste, fatigue, respiratory problems and multi-inflammatory syndrome. According to the media reports, a Mumbai hospital recently reported five cases of multi-inflammatory syndrome in Covid-19 recovered adults. As stated in an Indian Express report, the inflammation proved fatal for two elderly patients, one remains under observations while two have recovered. However, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has claimed that multi-inflammatory syndrome, which is a Kawasaki-like illness, is less common and there are no cases of Kawasaki disease among Covid-19 patients in India. In a press conference on Tuesday, Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR said, "It is less common in India. I don't think we have had any experience of Kawasaki with Covid-19 in India so far. That's a very rare condition." What Is Kawasaki Disease? Kawasaki disease is mainly common in children under 5 years of age. It is an auto-immune disease that results in a fever for 3-5 days, and blood vessels become inflamed throughout the body resulting in redness of eyes and lips. According to the reports, the disease damages the coronary artery. In other terms, while child affected with Kawasaki grows, the artery does not. this leads to reduction in the amount of blood that can reach the heart.