Nationwide descriptive study of COVID-19 in children below the age of 14 years in Sri Lanka

Background: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel corona virus which originated in China and spread worldwide to become a global pandemic.

Objectives: To identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of children below the age of 14 years with COVID-19 in Sri Lanka. 

Method: This was a retrospective, cross sectional descriptive study. Data of all COVID-19 positive patients below age of 14 years detected in Sri Lanka from 16/03/2020 to 20/09/2020 were analysed with R version 4.0.2, R Studio 1.3.959 and SPSS version 27. Descriptive plots and tables were obtained.

Results: During the study period, a total of 78 patients below the age of 14 years were detected in Sri Lanka. This constituted 2.4% of the total number of patients in the country. Children of all age groups were affected, 33.3% belonging to the 1-5 year age group. Of the total, 55.1% were asymptomatic, 42.3% had mild disease and 2.6% had moderate disease. Common clinical manifestations were dry cough and fever. Median duration of hospital stay was 18 days. There were 53 local patients and 25 imported patients; 78.3% had a close family member diagnosed with COVID-19.

Conclusions: During the 6 month study period 78 COVID-19 positive patients below the age of 14 years were detected in Sri Lanka. Of them 55.1% were asymptomatic, 42.3% had mild disease and 2.6% had moderate disease. Common clinical manifestations were dry cough and fever; 78.3% had a close family member diagnosed with COVID-19.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2021; 50(1): 103-109