PandemicPreparedness

A study published in scientific reports examined the clinical characteristics and outcomes in pediatric COVID-19 patients. Researchers analysed data from children diagnosed with COVID-19 from healthcare organisations in the United States. Researchers found, “among 12,306 children with lab-confirmed COVID-19, 16.5% presented with respiratory symptoms (cough, dyspnea), 13.9% had gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain), 8.1% had dermatological symptoms (rash), 4.8% had neurological (headache), and 18.8% had other non-specific symptoms (fever, malaise, myalgia, arthralgia and disturbances of smell or taste).” Further more, 5.3% were hospitalised, 17.6% needed critical care and 4.1% required mechanical ventilation. Researchers concluded “In summary, children infected with COVID-19 present with a broad spectrum of non-specific symptoms across the age groups. Children with COVID-19 can develop severe illness requiring hospitalization and critical care, but the rates of severe illness and death are relatively low.”