Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that the New York State Department of Health is partnering with the New York Genome Center (NYGC) and The Rockefeller University to conduct a genome and RNA sequencing study to better understand COVID-19-related illnesses in children. Recently there have been 73 reported cases with three deaths in New York in children with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock-like syndrome.
The study involves genomic sequencing of samples from affected children and their parents in New York and the surrounding region to determine if these patients share rare genetic variants in common that affect their response to the virus. Clinical case review meetings and other multi-institutional collaborations will involve members of the COVID-19 Genomics Research Network organized by the NYGC.
