SARS-CoV-2 infection in ambulatory and hospitalised Spanish children

Abstract

Limited paediatric data on COVID-19 suggest that it is less frequent and severe in children than in adults.1 2 Spain is currently one of the most affected countries. Our aim was to describe the patients under the age of 18 years diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection at Hospital La Paz (Madrid) in the first month of the outbreak (11 March to 9 April 2020). Inclusion criteria were all children who underwent PCR for SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal smears. Out of 349 children, 58 (16.6%) had a positive PCR for SARS-CoV-2 (table 1). All had compatible symptoms, except two cases in which the PCR was indicated prior to intensive care unit (ICU) admission or surgery. Twenty-five (43%) children were followed up as outpatients. Nine of them (35%) attended a second time but none required hospital …