A little girl in North Vancouver is finally home after fighting a rare syndrome linked to COVID-19.
Ten-year-old Jillian Rondeau and the rest of her family contracted the virus back in November.
Weeks passed and Jillian’s condition got worse.
Doctors eventually diagnosed her with a multi-system inflammatory syndrome, known as MIS-C, which is a rare condition linked to COVID-19 in kids.
“You don’t ever expect your kids to get sick and to this extent,” Jillian’s dad, Jean-Marc, told Global News. “It happened so quickly to us in such a short period of time that we don’t want any other parents to have to go through the same thing.”
MIS-C can be very serious, even deadly, but most children who contract it have recovered fully with medical care.
The syndrome can lead to damaged blood vessels as well as inflammation around the heart or blood vessels.
Patients are usually under 19 years old and in the hospital, having tested positive for COVID-19 or having antibodies from the virus and a fever for three or more days.
They also show at least two other related symptoms, including gastrointestinal issues, a rash, red or inflamed eyes, or inflammation and swelling around the mouth, hands or feet.
B.C. confirmed its first case of MIS-C in mid-October.