[Characterization of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children and adolescents in Latin American and the Caribbean countries: A descriptive study].

INTRODUCTION

Coronavirus disease 2019 has been reported in the pediatric population; however, there is limited information in Latin American and the Caribbean countries.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the frequency of cases, deaths, incidence, and case fatality rate attributed to COVID-19 in children and adolescents from Latin American and the Caribbean countries.

METHODS

An observational study was carried-out using COVID-19 case registries in children and adolescents published by the Ministries of Health of 19 countries in Latin American and the Caribbean countries until May 20, 2020. Cases and deaths were classified by sex and age group. Also, incidence and case fatality rates were calculated for each country.

RESULTS

A total of 20,757 (4.2% of all patients) cases of COVID-19 were reported in children from 0 to 19 years of age. 52.4% was in the group aged 10 to 19 years. 50.6% were male. 139 (0.26%) deaths were reported in children from 0 to 19 years. The accumulated incidence was higher in Chile, Panama, and Peru. The cumulative incidence per 100,000 inhabitants ranged from 1.26 to 77.55 in the population from 0 to 9 years old, 1.57 to 98.84 from 10 to 19 years old, and 0.91 to 88.34 from 0 to 19 years old. The case fatality rate in children from 0 to 19 years old ranged from 0 to 9.09%.

CONCLUSION

In 19 Latin American and the Caribbean countries, the frequency of cases, cumulative incidence, case fatality rate in children and adolescents was heterogeneous. These results contribute to understanding the epidemiological behavior of this disease in children and adolescents of the countries included in the study.