In order to determine the spectrum of disease in children, researchers evaluated children infected with SARS-CoV-2 and treated at the Wuhan Children’s Hospital.
Of the 1391 children assessed and tested from January 28 through February 26, 2020, a total of 171 (12.3%) were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The median age of the infected children was 6.7 years. Fever was present in 41.5% of the children at any time during the illness. Other common signs and symptoms included cough and pharyngeal erythema. A total of 27 patients (15.8%) did not have any symptoms of infection or radiologic features of pneumonia. A total of 12 patients had radiologic features of pneumonia but did not have any symptoms of infection.
In contrast with infected adults, most infected children appear to have a milder clinical course. Asymptomatic infections were not uncommon.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children. New England Journal of Medicine. Published March 18, 2020.
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