Boy, 5, Dies of Sepsis After Catching Covid and Strep A

• Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero, 5, died after being found unresponsive at a migrant center in Chicago
• The coroner’s report determined that the cause of death was sepsis, after Strep A and Covid infection
• Although some have criticized the shelter’s conditions, the city of Chicago said in a statement, “All shelter residents are offered comprehensive medical screening and care.”

A five-year-old boy who died in December at a migrant shelter in Chicago developed sepsis after contracting Covid and Strep A, a recently released coroner’s report found.

Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero was found unresponsive at the Pilsen Migrant Center on Chicago’s Lower West Side after being ill for several days, according to a report by NBC News Chicago. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

Martinez was one of several children who were sick at the shelter, the agency reported, adding that the one-year-old was hospitalized with a high fever.

One mother interviewed by the shelter told NBC the conditions were “quite alarming.”

However, at a press conference, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said people were “showing up sick.”

Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero.

Gofundme

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Johnson also blamed southern states for their policy of busing migrants to northern states, saying: “They leave people anywhere. Do you realize how corny and evil that is?”

The boy’s family arrived in Chicago from Venezuela, and they have another son, two-year-old Isaías. According to GoFundMe, Jean Carlos died just two weeks after they arrived at the shelter when he passed out and went into cardiac arrest on Dec. 17, according to a 911 call.

“Jean Carlos survived the treacherous journey from South America to Chicago only to lose his life days later,” the GoFundMe said.

Although it’s often dismissed as just a “sore throat,” the CDC says Strep A, if left untreated, can lead to necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh-eating disease), scarlet fever (known as a bright rash), and streptococcal infection. Toxic shock syndrome (serious bacterial infection).

11-year-old boy dies after being found unconscious in New York migrant shelter: ‘Devastating’

“It’s too much for a small body. It’s really sad,” Dr. Juanita Mora, an allergist and immunologist, told NBC Chicago, according to Today.

“We have to remember that a five-year-old has a very small amount of body fluids. So, when a huge infection like Covid-19 hits his body, and at the same time he gets strep throat, it starts entering the bloodstream, it starts affecting other organs.”

Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero.

Gofundme

A press release issued by the city of Chicago called his sepsis a “rare complication” of strep A and added, “The city of Chicago coordinates medical screenings for all shelter residents, weekly on-site provider support, on-site vaccination events for COVID, varicella and influenza and partnerships with a network of health centers for other health needs. We offer comprehensive medical examinations and care to all shelter residents.”

The statement continued: “The City has prioritized the health and well-being of asylum seekers during the New Arrivals Mission in partnership with community health providers and Cook County Health, and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) will continue to monitor and respond to all reported cases of infectious diseases in the city system of temporary shelters.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education