Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Mexico and Latin America

Abstract

This chapter presents some insights into COVID-19 in children. We begin by summarizing the fundamental aspects of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. We also cover issues about the severity of the disease and fatality and factors associated with the outcome of pediatric patients with COVID-19. Most evidence treated in this chapter comes from reports in Mexico, but a general landscape in Latin America is pictured. COVID-19 does not seem to be so severe among children. It is worth noting that those at higher risk are the children between 0 and 2 years who develop pneumonia. In this chapter, we did not discuss extensively the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome nor the social impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children. Many studies used for this chapter relied on open data sources resulting from a surveillance system designed for the general population. Therefore, specific variables for children were not analyzed.