N.J. investigating 18 kids reported to have rare inflammatory illness possibly linked to coronavirus outbreak – NJ.com

New Jersey is now investigating reports of 18 possible cases of kids with a mysterious systematic inflammatory syndrome that shares similarities with Kawasaki disease and may be linked to the coronavirus, the state’s top health official said Wednesday.

The state had been notified of 11 children hospitalized with possible cases of the syndrome as of Tuesday, state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. Officials received reports of seven more possible cases Wednesday morning, Persichilli said.

She said she did not know if the seven additional children were hospitalized.

None of the 18 have died, Persichilli said.

All of the children are between 3 and 18 years old, and four have also tested positive for the coronavirus. The cases are from throughout the state — Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Passaic, Union, and Warren counties.

“They are all under investigation,” Persichilli said during the state’s daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. “There will be more reporting on that as the CDC identifies the case definition and we finish our case investigations.

Added Gov. Phil Murphy: “That was sort of hot off the press. We’ll have more to report as we’ll learn more.”

Donna Leusner, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, said the agency is “working closely” with the federal Centers for Disease Control and neighboring states to investigate the reports.

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Officials last week reported a 4-year-old with an underlying condition was the first child in New Jersey to die from complication related to the coronavirus. But officials said Kawasaki disease was not the underlying condition the child had.

New Jersey, a state of 9 million residents, has reported at least 9,702 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 140,743 total positive tests, since the outbreak started March 4. Officials reported 197 new deaths and 1,028 new cases Wednesday.

Only New York has more total cases and deaths among U.S. states.

But officials say the number of deaths per day, new cases, and new hospitalizations, as well as the total number of patients hospitalized, in critical care, and on ventilators, have dropped noticeably since April 27.

Murphy also announced Wednesday that he’s allowing nonessential retail businesses to reopen for curbside pickup only and nonessential construction to resume in New Jersey after weeks of being closed. Plus, drive-in and drive-through attractions — such as drive-in movies and religious services — are now permitted in the state.

They’re the second major moves Murphy has taken to the near-lockdown restrictions he installed to fight the virus. He allowed state and county parks, as well as golf courses, to reopen with restrictions late last month.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.