The news about the increase in cases of respiratory infections in China is rather reassuring. It would not be due to a new virus, but to the overlap of several known pathogens.
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On November 13, Chinese authorities reported an increase in respiratory infections nationwide and particularly among children. While this suggests the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists have said the surge in cases is caused by the flu and other known pathogens, not a mysterious new virus. A doordoor– spokesperson for the National Health Commission clarified that this increase is “ due to an overlap of common viruses such as influenza virus, rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) andadenovirusadenovirusas well as bacteriabacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which is a common cause of respiratory tract infections “.
China is out of step with other countries
Chinese authorities have justified the increase in the rate of respiratory illnesses by the easing of restrictions linked to Covid-19, which only began in December 2022 in China. “ This is what most countries faced a year or two ago, when they began lifting restrictions imposed at the start of the pandemic said Maria Van Kerkhove, director of the WHO Department of Preparedness and Response. preventionprevention epidemics and pandemics. Other countries had also seen an increase in respiratory illnesses such as RSV when pandemic restrictions were lifted. At the biological level, we are witnessing a “ immunodeficiencyimmunodeficiency ”, the immune system having not been exposed to many common viruses for long periods of time.
In addition, respiratory infections generally experience an increase in winterwinter. Children would be particularly affected because they are more likely to develop severe RSV infection and to be infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae than adults. However, theWorld Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization (WHO) said there was too little information to properly assess the risk of these reported cases of respiratory illnesses in children.
Respiratory disease in China: is the WHO right to be concerned?
Article from Stéphanie Le GuillouStéphanie Le Guilloupublished on November 24, 2023
In China, a worrying epidemiological situation is emerging with clustered cases of pneumoniapneumonia mysterious in children, recalling the first days ofepidemicepidemic of Covid-19. Faced with this increase in respiratory illnesses since October, the WHO is requesting detailed information from the Chinese government and recommending preventive measures, while closely monitoring developments.
Everyone remembers the beginnings of the Covid-19 epidemic in January 2020: a large number of cases of pneumonia appeared mysteriously in China… A similar phenomenon seems to be occurring at the moment with the appearance of cases clusters of pneumonia of unknown cause among children in northern China. The Chinese authorities communicated on the subject on November 13.
WHO’s response to rising respiratory illnesses in China
China has seen an increase in respiratory illnesses since October, driven in part by the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the spread of known respiratory pathogens (flu, Mycoplasma pneumoniaerespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and of course SARS-CoV-2, responsible for Covid-19).
Faced with this situation, the World Health Organization (WHO) reacted seriously, aware of the potential implications of such an epidemic after the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic. On November 22, WHO officially requested detailed information from the Chinese government on the increase in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters reported among children.
What do we know about this disease?
Despite the presence of surveillance systems in China, there remains a lack of transparencytransparency regarding medical data. The reports sent by the Chinese authorities on these cases of pneumonia without defined causes in children have raised additional, very legitimate questions from the WHO. They are currently unanswered.
Pneumonia is a inflammationinflammation of the pulmonary alveolipulmonary alveoli. This is the place where oxygen inhaled into theairair is transmitted to the blood so that it can be carried to the organs. This is also where the carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide passes from the blood to the air which will be expired. The main symptomsymptom is cough.
Pneumonia can be caused by various pathogens. The exact nature of the pathogens responsible for these recent cases in children has not been identified. It is this uncertainty that raises concerns about the possibility ofemergenceemergence new pathogens. It may simply be a matter of germsgerms known! But until we know, the WHO continues to monitor the situation closely.
Furthermore, the WHO recommends that people living in China get vaccinated, practice social distancing with symptomatic people, wash their hands regularly, wear a mask if they have symptoms, and properly ventilate premises.
