China denies unusual pathogens in children pneumonia upsurge
China WHO talk over pneumonia outbreak
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, November 24: China has told the World Health Organisation that there are no new pathogens in the children pneumonia that has been seen in a massive rise of patients in hospitals. While China holds low credibility in exercising transparency in disclosing the circulation of pathogens, the WHO held a teleconference with the Chinese officials to gather information about the surging case of children pneumonia in parts of the Communist ruled nation.
“Today, WHO held a teleconference with Chinese health authorities in which they provided requested data on respiratory illnesses among children in Northern China. The data indicates an increase in outpatient consultations and hospital admissions of children due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia since May, and RSV, adenovirus and influenza virus since October,” the WHO said in a statement on Thursday.
The WHO which had been severely criticised for first denying the circulation and spread of the Covid-19 virus reached out to the Chinese officials after a massive surge in videos on social media platforms claimed that the hospitals were running short of beds in China.
“Some of these increases are earlier in the season than historically experienced, but not unexpected given the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, as similarly experienced in other countries. WHO is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in China,” added the WHO in the statement.
The WHO held a teleconference with Chinese health authorities from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital, facilitated by the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention.
“No changes in the disease presentation were reported by the Chinese health authorities. Chinese authorities advised that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing and Liaoning, but only the aforementioned general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens. They further stated that the rise in respiratory illness has not resulted in patient loads exceeding hospital capacities,” added the WHO.
The Chinese authorities told the WHO that, since mid-October, enhanced outpatient and inpatient surveillance has been implemented for respiratory illnesses covering a broad spectrum of viruses and bacteria, including, for the first time, Mycoplasma pneumoniae. “This complements existing respiratory surveillance mechanisms and may have contributed to the observed increase in detection and reporting of respiratory illness in children,” the Chinese officials told the WHO.
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