COVID-19 Clinical Characteristics and Outcomesin Children Aged </=16 Years at theUniversityHospital ofthe WestIndies, Jamaica in 2020-2021

ABSTRACT

Background: By June 1, 2021, Jamaica recorded 48,639 RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases and 951 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 2%. Children <18 years comprised 10.3% (4,999) of cases and 0.1% and 0.2% deaths in <10 and 10-18 year age-groups, respectively. Community transmission is ongoing, having been declared September 2020. Methods: Ambispective case series describing clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in children aged. Results: Seventy-nine children aged 4 abnormal inflammatory biomarkers (13/72%) including D-dimers, Creactive protein, ESR, ferritin, troponins, lactate dehydrogenase, neutrophils, platelets, lymphocytes, albumen . MISC-positive cases were treated with intravenous immune gammaglobulin (78% vs. 0%;p < 0.01), aspirin (68% vs. 0%;p < 0.01) and steroids (50% vs. 9%;p = 0.003). MISC-positive cases had intensive care admissions (two), non-invasive ventilation (two) and inotropes/vasopressor support (none). Outcomes included readmission for MISC-related neurological complications two(5%), discharged with one month follow-up 39(95%), transferred one(2.4%) and demise from myocardial complications in a child with premorbid end-stage renal disease and haemodialysis one(2.4%). Conclusion: More than half of the children aged.