Unexplained pneumonia surge in China: Hospitals facing a surge of sick children, WHO requests information.
Following the challenges posed by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, China is currently dealing with a new health crisis affecting children. There is a surge in a mysterious pneumonia outbreak in Chinese schools, causing hospitals to be overwhelmed and raising concerns among global health experts.
The epicenters of the outbreak are located in Beijing and Liaoning province, where hospitals are facing an influx of sick children displaying symptoms similar to pneumonia. The gravity of the situation has led to the suspension of classes in specific schools, reminiscent of the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, as both students and teachers have become unwell.
Children affected by a mysterious illness are showing symptoms such as high fever and lung inflammation, distinct from typical pneumonia signs, as there is no presence of cough. These manifestations resemble those of flu or respiratory viruses like RSV.
A Beijing resident informed the Taiwanese news website FTV News, stating, “Many children are being hospitalized. They don’t exhibit coughing or other symptoms; they simply have a high temperature, and many develop pulmonary nodules.”
Despite a notable increase in cases, there have been no reported deaths thus far. Hospitals in China observed a surge in undiagnosed pneumonia cases in early October, coinciding with the National Day holiday.
On Tuesday, the international disease surveillance platform ProMed issued an alert about the undiagnosed pneumonia affecting children. The cause of the outbreak remains unclear, and while adults seem unaffected, the rapid spread among children suggests a potential connection to school environments.
A video shared by U.S. epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding depicted individuals in China wearing face masks due to a pneumonia outbreak. There is speculation among medical professionals that the cause might be mycoplasma pneumoniae, commonly referred to as “walking pneumonia,” a bacterial infection usually affecting younger children. While this pathogen typically results in mild infections, severe cases can lead to hospitalization.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has contacted China to obtain information on the rising number of respiratory illnesses and reported pneumonia clusters in children. The WHO’s China office termed this as a “routine” check and sought details on trends related to the circulation of known pathogens, such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and mycoplasma pneumoniae.
During a press conference on November 13, Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission reported an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases. They attributed this rise to the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens, including influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial virus, and the virus causing COVID-19, according to Reuters.
