Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and SARS-CoV-2 positive hospital admissions among children in South Africa.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
; 16(1): 34-47, 2022 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1526373
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
We describe epidemiology and outcomes of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and positive admissions among children <18 years in South Africa, an upper-middle income setting with high inequality.METHODS:
Laboratory and hospital COVID-19 surveillance data, 28 January - 19 September 2020 was used. Testing rates were calculated as number of tested for SARS-CoV-2 divided by population at risk; test positivity rates were calculated as positive tests divided by total number of tests. In-hospital case fatality ratio (CFR) was calculated based on hospitalized positive admissions with outcome data who died in-hospital and whose death was judged SARS-CoV-2 related by attending physician.FINDINGS:
315 570 children aged <18 years were tested for SARS-CoV-2; representing 8.9% of all 3 548 738 tests and 1.6% of all children in the country. Of children tested, 46 137 (14.6%) were positive. Children made up 2.9% (n = 2007) of all SARS-CoV-2 positive admissions to sentinel hospitals. Among children, 47 died (2.6% case-fatality). In-hospital deaths were associated with male sex [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.18 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.08-4.40)] vs female; age <1 year [aOR 4.11 (95% CI 1.08-15.54)], age 10-14 years [aOR 4.20 (95% CI1.07-16.44)], age 15-17 years [aOR 4.86 (95% 1.28-18.51)] vs age 1-4 years; admission to a public hospital [aOR 5.07(95% 2.01-12.76)] vs private hospital and ≥1 underlying conditions [aOR 12.09 (95% CI 4.19-34.89)] vs none.CONCLUSIONS:
Children with underlying conditions were at greater risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 outcomes. Children > 10 years, those in certain provinces and those with underlying conditions should be considered for increased testing and vaccination.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
English
Journal:
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
Journal subject:
Virology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Irv.12916
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