World Health Organization requests official information on pneumonia cases in China

It has been reported that in addition to seasonal respiratory illnesses, mysterious pneumonia cases, believed to be bacterial in origin but not yet diagnosed, are spreading among children in China. In an information note shared on November 21 on ProMed, the disease reporting network of the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), it was stated that there is extreme overcrowding in children's hospitals in the capital, Beijing, and Liaoning province in the north of the country due to undiagnosed pneumonia-like cases.

The note, which included details from a report by Taiwan-based FTV television on the subject, stated that a large number of patients had applied to the Beijing Children's Hospital, and quoted a citizen as saying, "There are many children under treatment in the hospital. They don't have a cough, they don't show signs of pneumonia, but they have a high fever and inflammation in their respiratory tracts." In a message shared on the ProMed network, Dr. Stephan Gibson pointed out that mycoplasma pneumonia, a bacterial respiratory infection, has been spreading across the country for at least two months, noting that while a cough is the primary symptom of the disease, children may exhibit upper respiratory symptoms, nausea, and vomiting instead of a cough. On the other hand, Gibson drew attention to the fact that burning-type infiltrations are seen in the respiratory tracts in mycoplasma pneumonia, and that the finding of inflammation seen in lung X-rays in these cases constitutes an anomaly.

"DISCUSSION IS FORBIDDEN, EVERYTHING IS A STATE SECRET"

In the FTV television report, it was stated that the situation is also serious in Liaoning province, about 800 kilometers east of Beijing, and that many children with IV drips in the lobby of Dalian Children's Hospital were waiting to be treated in the emergency room, while a hospital employee was quoted as saying, "Patients have to wait in line for two hours. We are all in the emergency room, the outpatient clinics cannot provide service." The report noted that both teachers and students have fallen ill in some schools, some classes have had to be suspended, and some parents have accused the authorities of "trying to cover up the epidemic." A parent in Beijing was quoted as saying, "You are not allowed to report the illness to the school. If you have fever, cold, and cough symptoms and are being treated at the hospital, you go to the teacher and get permission; it is forbidden to discuss these in the parent group. Everything is a state secret." ProMed played an important role in the detection and global announcement of the Covid-19 outbreak during its emergence in China.

WHO REQUESTS OFFICIAL INFORMATION

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that it has requested official information from China regarding the undiagnosed pneumonia cases in children. The WHO requested "laboratory results, additional epidemiological and clinical information, as well as recent trends in the circulation of known pathogens and the current burden on health systems" regarding these illnesses. The statement recalled that officials from the National Health Commission of China reported an increase in respiratory disease cases in the country at a press conference held on November 13. It was stated that Chinese officials attributed this increase to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, mycoplasma pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and SARS-CoV-2.

NO RECOMMENDATION FOR TRAVEL OR TRADE RESTRICTIONS

In another statement from the WHO, it was stated that there is no specific recommendation for measures regarding those visiting China. It was recommended that individuals showing symptoms indicative of respiratory diseases avoid visiting the country. The statement advised that if symptoms are observed during or after a visit, individuals should seek medical help and inform healthcare providers of their travel history. The WHO also recommended that no travel or trade restrictions be implemented in light of the information on the subject. Mycoplasma pneumonia, an atypical bacterial infection, had been spreading globally since 2015, but declined after 2019 due to the impact of measures taken against the Covid-19 pandemic. It is assessed that the resurgence of the disease, which is treated with antibiotics, may have been caused by an increase in the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria.

News Source: AA