The characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-positive children who presented to Australian hospitals during 2020: a PREDICT network study

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-positive children in Australia during 2020.

Design, setting: Multicentre retrospective study in 16 hospitals of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network; eleven in Victoria, five in four other Australian states.

Participants: Children aged 0-17 years who presented to hospital-based COVID-19 testing clinics, hospital wards, or emergency departments during 1 February - 30 September 2020 and who were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Main outcome measures: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Results: A total of 393 SARS-CoV-2-positive children (181 girls, 46%) presented to the participating hospitals (426 presentations, including 131 to emergency departments [31%]), the first on 3 February 2020. Thirty-three children presented more than once (8%), including two who were transferred to participating tertiary centres (0.5%). The median age of the children was 5.3 years (IQR, 1.9-12.0 years; range, 10 days to 17.9 years). Hospital admissions followed 51 of 426 presentations (12%; 44 children), including 17 patients who were managed remotely by hospital in the home. Only 16 of the 426 presentations led to hospital medical interventions (4%). Two children (0.5%) were diagnosed with the paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS).

Conclusion: The clinical course for most SARS-CoV-2-positive children who presented to Australian hospitals was mild, and did not require medical intervention.

Participating hospitals: Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Sunshine Hospital (Western Health), Northern Hospital, Austin Hospital, Monash Medical Centre Clayton (Monash Health), Casey Hospital (Monash Health), Dandenong Hospital (Monash Health), Box Hill Hospital (Eastern Health), Angliss Hospital (Eastern Health), Maroondah Hospital (Eastern Health), University Hospital Geelong (Barwon Health) (Victoria); John Hunter Hospital (Hunter New England Health), Children’s Hospital at Westmead (New South Wales); Gold Coast University Hospital (Queensland); Perth Children’s Hospital (Western Australia); Women’s and Children’s Hospital (South Australia).