China sees mysterious pneumonia outbreak, hospitals flooded with sick children

China, which is still recovering from the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, is facing another possible health emergency.

A mysterious pneumonia outbreak has swept through schools and resulted in hospitals being overwhelmed with sick children. This has caused concern among global health experts.

The epicentres of this outbreak are Beijing and Liaoning province, where pediatric hospitals are facing an overwhelming number of sick children. The severity of the situation has led to the suspension of classes in some schools, as both students and teachers have fallen ill, a situation reminiscent of the early days of Covid-19.

The symptoms exhibited by the affected children are high fever and lung inflammation, but no cough, which is common when an individual is down with flu or is suffering from respiratory virus diseases like RSV.

A citizen from Beijing told Taiwanese news website FTV News, “Many, many (children) are hospitalised. They don’t cough and have no symptoms. They just have a high temperature and many develop pulmonary nodules.”

ProMed, an international disease surveillance platform, issued an alert over the undiagnosed pneumonia affecting children on Tuesday. The current outbreak’s onset is unclear, and while it has not been reported to affect adults, the rapid spread among children suggests a possible link to school environments.

US epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding shared a video of people in China wearing face masks in the wake of the pneumonia outbreak.

Speculation among medical professionals points towards mycoplasma pneumoniae, (a common bacterial infection which typically affects younger children) also known as “walking pneumonia”, as a potential cause. This pathogen typically causes mild infections but can lead to more severe conditions requiring hospitalisation.

Chinese hospitals have noted an increase in cases of undiagnosed pneumonia, particularly since the National Day holiday in early October. Despite the intensity of the outbreak, no deaths have been reported so far.

WHO SEEKS DETAILED INFORMATION FROM CHINA
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has made an official request to China for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children.

“It is unclear if these are associated with the overall increase in respiratory infections previously reported by Chinese authorities or separate events,” it said.

At a press conference on November 13, Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission reported an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in China, the global health agency said in a statement.

The WHO stated the Chinese authorities attributed the increase to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial virus, and the virus that causes Covid-19.

Chinese authorities stressed the need for enhanced disease surveillance in healthcare facilities and community settings, as well as strengthening the capacity of the health system to manage patients, it said.

The WHO has advised the people in China to follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness, which include recommended vaccination, keeping distance from people who are ill, staying home when ill, getting tested and medical care as needed, wearing masks as appropriate, ensuring good ventilation and regular hand-washing.

On November 22, the global health agency requested additional epidemiologic and clinical information, as well as laboratory results from these reported clusters among children, through the International Health Regulations mechanism.

“We have also requested further information about recent trends in the circulation of known pathogens including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, RSV and mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the current burden on healthcare systems,” it further said.

WHO said it was in contact with clinicians and scientists through our existing technical partnerships and networks in China. The agency also said it will continue to provide updates.