What we know about the increase in cases of respiratory diseases in China, which worries the WHO

The World Health Organization has requested “detailed information” from Chinese authorities on an “epidemic of pneumonia” mainly affecting children.

She is awaiting more in-depth information from China. The World Health Organization expressed concern in a press release on Wednesday, November 22, about a recent increase in cases of respiratory diseases in China. The UN health agency is therefore calling on the population to protect themselves more. These announcements come almost four years after the appearance, in China, of a “viral pneumonia” which would lead to the Covid-19 pandemic. The WHO was then criticized for a supposed lack of responsiveness. This time, the UN agency “made a formal request to China for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia outbreaks reported among children”. Here is what we know, at this stage, about these cases which appeared in northern China.

These infections are caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumaniae

According to the WHO statement, an increase in cases of influenza-like illnesses has been observed in northern China since mid-October, compared to the last three years. The Chinese newspaper Global Times reported, on October 12, an increase in infections caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae, a situation recorded in several hospitals across the country. This peak in infections occurs earlier than expected and seems to affect the youngest children more, the newspaper specifies.

As the WHO reminds us, The mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria causes fairly common infections, primarily affecting children. The most common symptoms are a sore throat, cough and fever, as well as a headache, lists the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, the bacteria can cause more serious lung infections.

At a press conference on November 13, Chinese health authorities reported this increasing incidence of respiratory illnesses in China. According to them, the circulation of several viruses, including influenza and Sars-CoV-2, also contributes to this increase in cases, in parallel with the lifting of restrictive measures linked to Covid-19.

Hospitals find themselves “overwhelmed with sick children”

On Tuesday, the International Society for Infectious Diseases’ global disease surveillance program ProMed reported that children’s hospitals in Beijing, but also in northeast China’s Liaoning province and elsewhere other places “were overwhelmed with sick children, and schools were on the verge of being closed.” The program discusses “an epidemic of pneumonia” with children with fever and pulmonary nodules.

According to AFP journalists, a crowd of parents and children were at the Beijing Institute of Pediatrics hospital on Thursday. “My daughter has pneumonia. We are no longer sending her to nursery school for the moment”said a father. “A lot of his classmates are sick of this right now.” “It is true that many children his age are affected at the moment”testified a 42-year-old mother.

In Liaoning Province, the situation is also “worrying”, ProMed reports. At Dalian Children’s Hospital, many young patients receive infusions. “Patients have to queue for two hours and we are all in the emergency department”also describes a staff member, cited by ProMed.

This could have a link with the end of the “Zero Covid” policy

ProMed recalls that since the end of the “Zero Covid” policy in China, a little less than a year ago, “epidemics such as influenza, [infections liées aux] mycoplasmas and bronchopneumonia have appeared from time to time.. “It is possible that China will experience an increase in respiratory infections, like other countries during their first winter after confinement”underlines Krutika Kuppalli, infectious diseases doctor working for the WHO, on the social network

“Perhaps there is a catch-up phenomenon, what we call the immune debt. It’s a hypothesis,” analyzes the virologist Bruno Lina in The Parisian. Epidemiologist Antoine Flahaut, also interviewed by the daily, evokes a possible “exhibition debt”A “significant reservoir of young people who had not been exposed for almost four years to a good number of winter pathogens”.

Another possible explanation, put forward by experts interviewed by Fortuneis the fact that a Covid-19 infection could have made people more vulnerable to other respiratory infections. Finally, several specialists consider the hypothesis of a new pathogen less likely – at this stage in any case. “If this were a new pathogen, it would appear in both children and adults”underlines Michael Osterholm, from the University of Minnesota (United States), in Fortune.

WHO awaits additional information from China

The World Health Organization asked China for new information on Wednesday “epidemiological and clinical” to better understand this increase in respiratory infections and its impact on the healthcare system. The UN agency hopes to be able to consult laboratory results from areas where many children are affected, and wishes to have more information on the circulation of viruses or the mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria in China.

The organization criticized the Chinese authorities for their lack of transparency during the investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. THE Parisian also recalls that in 2003, cases of mycoplasma pneumoniae were reported at the start of the SARS epidemic in China. Pending new information, the WHO advises the Chinese population to be vaccinated, to wear a mask if necessary, to stay at home in the event of infection and to respect barrier gestures.