HAVANA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- A total of 192 children and adolescents have tested positive for COVID-19 in Cuba as of Monday, according to a senior Cuban health official.

"So far, 11 percent of patients infected with the virus on the island are under 18 years old," Lissette Lopez, head of the National Pediatric Group at the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, said during a live TV roundtable broadcast on Monday evening.

Lopez said 10 percent of children and adolescents who contracted the novel coronavirus in the country suffered pneumonia.

Cuba has set up special areas for the treatment of children and adolescents infected with the virus in military hospitals across the country.

Health authorities on the island said that a nine-month-old baby, who contracted the virus several days ago, remains at an intensive care unit.

Earlier, Francisco Duran, national director of epidemiology at the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, said the annual vaccination campaign protecting children against polio has been postponed until further notice.

"Despite COVID-19, the rest of vaccination schedule will be carried out without changes," he said. The country's vaccination schedule includes 11 vaccines which protect its citizens against 13 diseases.

Currently, there are 2.4 million Cubans under the age of 18, accounting for more than 20 percent of the entire population.

The Caribbean nation has reported 1,137 cases of infection and 38 deaths from the virus since first confirmed cases were reported on March 11. The virus-related death toll does not include any children or adolescents. Enditem

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