Hospitalization Rates and Characteristics of Children Aged <18 Years Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 — COVID-NET, 14 States, March 1–July 25, 2020

August 14, 2020

Kim L, Whitaker M, O’Halloran A, et al.

MMWR

This study utilized the hospitalization data from 14 U.S. states to study children hospitalized with COVID-19. The authors found that while children <18 tend to be hospitalized with COVID-19 less than adults (8 vs 164.5 per 100,000 population), the rate of hospitalization among children has been increasing. A third of all hospitalized children with COVID-19 were admitted to the ICU and the most prevalent comorbidities among children hospitalized were obesity (38%), chronic lung disease (18%) and premature birth (15%). Black and Hispanic children were more frequently hospitalized due to COVID-19 compared to white children and the authors suggest further research is needed on social determinants of health to better inform and reduce disparities.

Kim L, Whitaker M, O’Halloran A, et al. Hospitalization Rates and Characteristics of Children Aged <18 Years Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 COVID-NET, 14 States, March 1–July 25, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1081–1088.

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