COVID-19 outbreak in children with cancer in a tertiary care center of a
developing country
Abstract
Data on the prevalence and outcomes of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in
children with cancer is limited, more so from developing countries. We
aimed to evaluate the prevalence, severity and outcome of COVID-19 in
pediatric oncology patients by implementing a screening and testing
plan. Among 104 children tested, the rate of COVID-19 positivity was
15% and 3% in symptomatic and asymptomatic respectively. Majority had
mild illness with uneventful recovery, whereas neutropenia increased the
risk of serious illness. Prolonged virus shedding with a median time to
negativity of 21 days was observed.