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. 2022 Dec;89(12):1222-1228.
doi: 10.1007/s12098-022-04135-x. Epub 2022 Mar 25.

Spectrum of COVID-19 Disease in Children: A Retrospective Analysis Comparing Wave 1 and Wave 2 from a Tertiary Hospital in South India

Murugan T P  1 , Urmi Ghosh  1 , Roshni Julia Rajan  1 , Anu Punnen  1 , Jolly Chandran  1 , Debasis Das Adhikari  1 , Leni Grace Mathew  1 , Winsley Rose  2
Affiliations

Spectrum of COVID-19 Disease in Children: A Retrospective Analysis Comparing Wave 1 and Wave 2 from a Tertiary Hospital in South India

Murugan T P et al. Indian J Pediatr. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To describe COVID-19 in children and the differences between the two waves.

Methods: The electronic medical records of children younger than 16 y of age with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection between June 1st 2020 and May 31st 2021 at Christian Medical College, Vellore were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected on a predesigned case record form and analyzed.

Results: A total of 988 children were diagnosed with confirmed COVID-19 during the study period. Of these, there were 585 children diagnosed during the 1st wave (June 2020-Feb 2021) and 403 children during the 2nd wave (March 2021-May 2021). It was found that loose stools and rash were significantly more frequent during the 1st wave and fever, cough, coryza, heart rate and temperature were significantly more during the 2nd wave. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of requirement of oxygen therapy, need for ICU admission, duration of ICU stay or hospital stay, or severity of illness. Mortality was significantly higher during the 2nd wave (0.3% vs. 2%).

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic among children during the 1st and 2nd waves were similar in severity, though there was a higher mortality during the 2nd wave.

Keywords: COVID; MIS-C; RT-PCR; Remdesivir; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Monthly distribution of cases over the study period
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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