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. 2020 Jul 28;57(10):914–917. doi: 10.1007/s13312-020-1994-4

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 in Indian Children in the Initial Phase of the Pandemic

Bhakti Sarangi 1, Venkat Sandeep Reddy 1, Jitendra S Oswal 1,, Nandini Malshe 1, Ajinkya Patil 1, Manojit Chakraborty 1, Sanjay Lalwani 1
PMCID: PMC7605483  PMID: 32729850

Abstract

Objective

To assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric inpatients with COVID-19, early in the pandemic.

Methods

Clinical and laboratory profile and outcomes were studied for children (aged 1 month — 18 years) presenting between 1 April, 2020 and 20 May, 2020 with positive nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR.

Results

50 children (56% male) with median (IQR) age of 6 (2–12) years were included. Majority (56%) were from families belonging to Kuppuswamy upper lower socioeconomic class. 45 (90%) had positive household contact, and 33 (66%) had overcrowding at home. 29 (58%) children were asymptomatic while 20 (40%) had mild symptoms. Fever, cough, and sore throat were the most common symptoms. High C-reactive protein levels were seen in 15 (30%) children. There was no mortality.

Conclusion

The disease burden appears high in lower socio-economic group with majority having a positive household contact. Milder disease pattern in the pediatric age group is reiterated.

Keywords: Management, RT-PCR, SARS-CoV-2, Symptoms, Outcome

Contributors

VSR,BS,AP,MC: management of the patients; VSR,BS: collected the data, reviewed the literature and drafted the first version of the manuscript; BS,JSO,NM,SL: conceptualized the study, reviewed the literature, revised the manuscript and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript preparation and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Funding

None

Ethical approval

Institutional Ethics Committee of Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital; No. BVUDMC/IEC/1B, dated 10 April, 2020.

Footnotes

Competing interests

None stated.

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