A deadly child fever linked to coronavirus could be a delayed response to the virus, experts warn.
Covid-19 is thought to trigger a devastating over-response by the immune system which can cause a widening of the coronary arteries.
Scientists warned the syndrome could delay the development of a Covid-19 vaccine the NHS would have to be sure any jab could not cause this response.
Experts told an online briefing on the unknown syndrome they have detected between 75 and 100 children with it.
It comes as a 14-year-old boy reportedly became the first British child to die from the new inflammatory condition.
Prof Michael Levin, of Imperial College London, said: “There’s a huge urgency to try to understand what the mechanism is.
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“This is clearly linked to the Covid pandemic.
“Children have not got detectable forms of the virus but tests show they have got antibodies for it.
“This suggests they had it two to three weeks before.”
He added: “This obviously has implications for the development of vaccines.”
A cluster of cases have been detected in the capital with more than 40 children treated at the specialist Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Two tested positive for coronavirus, including the 14-year-old who died, and four of the eight were from homes with a family member suspected or confirmed to have had the virus.
Children may have had coronavirus weeks earlier without any symptoms.
It is similar to Kawasaki Disease with symptoms including fever, rash, red eyes, dry lips and swollen glands.
The NHS issued a national alert after detected a small number of children with very severe symptoms, many needing intensive care.
Population data suggests children are least at risk from Covid-19 with many having no symptoms.
It was detected in the last month in Britain and is now being confirmed in coronavirus data from around the world. The US yesterday(WED) issued a national alert.
A syndrome is a collection of symptoms, rather than a single disease, so there is no test for it. Medics are still unsure how to treat the new child cases.
Prof Levin added: “We do think many NHS units are seeing young adults with a similar condition but it isn’t being recognised yet.
“I can’t think of an issue we are in more dire need of rapid information about.”
Only between 1% and 2% of diagnosed Covid-19 cases are children.
