China has been facing a surge in cases of childhood pneumonia since the end of November. Authorities say this “is not a new infection” and that there are no serious cases at this time.
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Almost a year ago, in mid-December 2022, China put an end to its zero Covid policy. And now, since the end of November, the country has been facing a mysterious epidemic of respiratory diseases. Children are particularly affected. Pediatric hospitals are facing very high activity, but no official figures are communicated at the moment and, at this stage, there are no serious cases.
In schools, it is a real massacre. Classes are closed, students are absent and worried parents are rushing to hospitals with their children. These health establishments quickly find themselves saturated, as in Beijing. The respiratory symptoms are fortunately not serious, but they are scary as China faces its very first winter after the end of Covid-19.
Despite everything, the authorities want to be reassuring. “This is not a new infection”said National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng. “All acute respiratory illnesses currently observed are caused by known pathogens that have treatments available. No new infectious diseases caused by new viruses or bacteria have been identified”he explains.
Doctors cite known cases of childhood pneumonia that are easily treated with antibiotics. The authorities, somewhat surprised by the scale of the phenomenon, are encouraging the population to respect barrier gestures and promise to increase the number of beds in hospitals. For its part, the island of Taiwan is asking people at risk not to travel to China.
