China pneumonia outbreak: All you need to know
Nov 23, 2023 / GMT+6
China is currently facing a surge in respiratory illnesses as it enters its first winter without strict COVID-19 restrictions since the global outbreak three years ago. This increase in cases has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to request more information from China regarding the outbreak and recommend stronger response measures.
While the exact cause of this rise remains unknown, certain health experts believe it could be a regular and temporary consequence of lifting lockdown restrictions. However, unanswered questions about the infections and their spread within the country have led some to compare this situation to the early days of the pandemic.
ProMED, a global surveillance system for infectious diseases, reported on Sunday that there were multiple cases of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. It is unclear whether this report coincided with the information provided in the press conference.
According to the ProMED report, the infections have spread in two cities, Beijing and Liaoning, which are approximately 800km (500 miles) apart in northeastern China.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) requested China to disclose more details about the recent outbreak, including additional information about the epidemiology and clinical aspects of these reported clusters in children, as well as laboratory results.
The WHO and healthcare professionals in China have advised citizens in the country to continue practicing important measures from the COVID-19 pandemic, including thorough handwashing, mask-wearing, and maintaining social distance.
In Liaoning Province, individuals have been lining up at traditional Chinese medicine hospitals, while patients at Dalian Children’s Hospital have experienced a two-hour wait, as mentioned in the ProMED report. Concerns among medical staff extend beyond the increase in infections among individuals under 18, as they also worry about vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and pregnant women. Yu, reporting outside Beijing Children’s Hospital, noted a constant flow of parents walking hand-in-hand with their children, highlighting these concerns.
Abu Raddad pointed out that the high occurrence of the illness in children might indicate that older people possess some level of immunity against the widespread pathogen, potentially RSV. Therefore, there is less reason for concern as there is a newly developed vaccine for the virus. However, experts agreed that further conclusive data is required on these illnesses.
