New York state is probing 85 reported cases of a COVID-19 related illness in children, predominantly school-aged.

 

The kids are experiencing symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease, or a toxic-shock-like syndrome.

The governor's office says a 5-year-old, 7-year-old and teenager have died from the illness.

 

"These children happen to have the COVID antibodies, or be positive for COVID, but those were not the symptoms they showed when they came in to the hospital system,” says Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “It's more an inflammation of the blood vessels, which can then cause problems with their heart."

An additional two deaths are currently under investigation.

"What we really think is that there's a large number of children infected and that this is a rare complication,” says pediatrician Dr. Glenn Budnick.

Similar cases of the syndrome in children have been reported in Seattle, California, the United Kingdom and Spain.