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COVID-19 outbreak in children with cancer in a tertiary care center of a developing country
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  • Abdul M,
  • Prasanth Siri,
  • Debasish Sahoo,
  • Jagdish Meena,
  • Aditya Gupta,
  • Rachna Seth
Abdul M
All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Corresponding Author:abdulwajim@gmail.com

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Prasanth Siri
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
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Debasish Sahoo
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
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Jagdish Meena
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
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Aditya Gupta
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
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Rachna Seth
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
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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.