WITHDRAWN: COVID-19 related acute decline in paediatric admissions in Malta, a population-based study

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has decimated non-pandemic hospital admissions worldwide. This population-based study was carried out in order to ascertain whether there were any differences in numbers or characteristics of acute paediatric medical admissions during the first wave of COVID-19 in Malta compared with the corresponding 2019 period. METHODS: Data was collected from Maltas only acute general hospital using health records and computer databases including iSoft Clinical Manager (ICM) and Electronic Case Summaries (ECS). Data was collected for 1/3-9/5/2019 (control period) and the corresponding 2020 period (study period). RESULTS: Acute paediatric medical admissions dropped by 63.5%. Neonates increased by 5.25% (p = 0.001). An increase in child abuse/social paediatric cases (p