An infant with coronavirus disease 2019 in China: A case report

RATIONALE: In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan, China. The initial epidemiological investigations showed that COVID-19 occurred more likely in adults, with patients younger than 10 years old accounting for less than 1% of the total number of confirmed cases, and infant infections were more rare. In our case, we present an infant who was only 35 days old when he was tested positive for COVID-19. PATIENT CONCERNS: In this report, a 35 day-old male infant with atypical symptoms had close contact with 2 confirmed patients of COVID-19 who were his grandmother and mother. DIAGNOSIS: The patient was diagnosed as COVID-19 after his oropharyngeal swab tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. INTERVENTIONS: The therapeutic schedule included aerosol inhalation of recombinant human interferon α-2b and supportive therapy. OUTCOMES: Two consecutive (1 day apart) oropharyngeal swabs tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; then, the patient was discharged on February 27, 2020. LESSONS: Strengthening infants’ virus screening in families with infected kins is important for early diagnosis, isolation, and treatment when symptoms are atypical. The infectivity of infants with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 should not be ignored because this may be a source of transmission in the community.