Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

June 17, 2020

Epidemiological Features and Viral Shedding in Children with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Category:

Topic:

  • An analysis of all children (n=314) from families with SARS-CoV-2 infected members in Zhejiang Province, China found incidence in children who were close contacts was significantly lower than in adults who were close contacts (13% vs 21%). Among 43 pediatric cases, the mean age was 8.2 years and mean incubation was 9.1 days, 77% had mild pneumonia and the remainder were asymptomatic. While SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be detected in stool samples in 91% of cases and for over 70 days in some children, no family contacts of these children were subsequently infected. 

Hua et al. (June 2020). Epidemiological Features and Viral Shedding in Children with SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Journal of Medical Virology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26180