A Preliminary Report of COVID-19 in Children in India

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global health, with varying disease profiles across different age groups.
• Understanding the specific clinical manifestations and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in children is crucial for effective management and public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical profile and outcomes of COVID-19 in children up to 12 years of age in India.
• To identify key characteristics, symptoms, and comorbidities associated with pediatric COVID-19 in the study population.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre observational study was conducted in tertiary care hospitals in West Bengal, India.
• Data were collected from 41 children under 12 years old with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection via RT-PCR testing.

Main Results:

• The median age of the included children was 1 year.
• A significant proportion (26.8%) of pediatric patients, including 6 neonates, were asymptomatic.
• Fever was present in only 21% of cases, while 61% had comorbidities. One death was reported.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 in Indian children presents with a predominantly mild or asymptomatic profile, even in neonates.
• The presence of comorbidities appears common in hospitalized pediatric COVID-19 cases.
• Further research is needed to understand long-term outcomes and specific risk factors in this population.