A case series of children and young people admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Germany with COVID-19

BACKGROUND: While our knowledge about COVID-19 in adults has rapidly increased, data on the course of disease and outcome in children with different comorbidities is still limited.

METHODS: Prospective, observational study at a tertiary care children's hospital in southern Germany. Clinical and virology data from all paediatric patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection at our hospital were prospectively assessed.

RESULTS: Between March and November 2020, 14 patients were admitted with COVID-19. One patient was admitted a second time with COVID-19 6 months after initial disease. Among seven patients with severe underlying comorbidities, three developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), two were admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. One patient needed invasive ventilation. Another patient died shortly after discharge of COVID-19-related complications.

CONCLUSIONS: While COVID-19 generally causes mild disease in children, severe respiratory illness and MIS-C occur, in some cases with fatal outcome. Children with underlying diseases might be at special risk for severe disease.