COVID-19 in the paediatric population of Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT

Background: To date, there have been no studies of COVID-19 infection in children in Central Asia, particularly the Republic of Kazakhstan. This report analyses the epidemiological data on COVID-19 infection in children in Kazakhstan.

Methods: The study included 650 paediatric patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Demographic and epidemiological data and the symptoms and radiological evidence of complications were collected and analysed. Children were sub-divided into four groups: neonates/infants, young children, older children and adolescents.

Results: All of the 650 children were under 19 years of age, 56.3% of whom were male, and 122 (18.8%) were newborns and infants. The majority of cases (n = 558, 85.8%) were asymptomatic and only four cases were severe (0.6%). The symptoms were as follows in descending order: cough (14.8%), sore throat (12.8%), fever (9.1%) and rhinorrhoea (5.5%). Diarrhoea (2%), dyspnoea (1.8%) and muscle pain were rare (1.1%). Only three children required intensive care, including invasive ventilation. One patient had acute respiratory distress syndrome. There were no deaths.

Conclusion: Most cases of COVID-19 infection in children in Kazakhstan were asymptomatic or the symptoms were mild. Only three patients required intensive care.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• coronavirus
• clinical features
• epidemiological features

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to S. D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University for administrative and technical support. The study was supported by the National Program for the Introduction of Personalized and Preventive Medicine in The Republic of Kazakhstan (2021–2023).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no funding to report.