Introduction:

Most children affected by SARS-CoV-2 are reported to be asymptomatic, and COVID-19-related mortality in them is low; in Mexico, there is a lack of information on the subject in this population group.

Objective:

To assess the risk factors associated with mortality in Mexican children with COVID-19.

Method:

Secondary analysis of the General Directorate of Epidemiology database. Children younger than 19 years, in whom SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by RT-PCR, were included.

Results:

1443 children were included. Median age was eight years; 3.3 % were admitted to the intensive care unit, 1.8 % required assisted mechanical ventilation, and mortality was 1.9 %. In multivariate models, the development of pneumonia was the main risk factor for mortality, with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.45 (95 % CI 1.99, 20.89); patients who required intubation had an OR of 8.75 (95 % CI 3.23, 23.7).

Conclusions:

Children with COVID-19 exhibit high mortality in Mexico, and avoiding pneumonia should therefore be tried in them, especially in children younger than four years with cardiovascular risk or immunosuppression.