Public health experts in Britain say they are closely monitoring the outbreak of childhood pneumonia in China.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization asked Chinese authorities for more information about the epidemic after hundreds of young people were hospitalized with acute respiratory symptoms since October.
Britain’s health regulator said it remains “open-minded” about the outbreak and is monitoring any potential threat to the UK.
A global public health alert was issued Tuesday warning of a rise in respiratory illnesses and noting that Chinese health authorities were investigating cases of “undiagnosed pneumonia.”
The warning issued by ProMED was worded in the same way as when coronavirus cases first emerged in Wuhan in December 2019, raising fears that the new outbreak could also be caused by a new virus that could cause a pandemic.
However, the WHO’s initial assessment on Thursday found that the illnesses were likely caused by a bacterial infection. Mycoplasma pneumoniaor well-known viruses such as RSV or Covid, to which young children are less immune due to the country’s strict restrictions.
A similar rise in severe cases of common respiratory illnesses has occurred in the UK in 2022 following three Covid lockdowns, although the outbreak appears to be more severe in Beijing and the Liaoning region of northern China.
UKHSA chief executive Professor Dame Jenny Harris said: “The World Health Organization has received an official response from China to its request for detailed information on the rise in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children.”
“We must remain open-minded about the reasons for the increase in reports of illness, including this disease, among Chinese children.
“UKHSA is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to work with international partners to assess new information as it becomes available.”
The UKHSA said in a statement that the rise in respiratory illnesses in China was “due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the spread of known pathogens such as influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniaRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Covid-19.
“These are all common pathogens, but due to changes in social composition they may not follow normal seasonal infection patterns. The UK has seen similar trends in 2022…
“Chinese authorities have stated that no unusual or new pathogens or unusual clinical manifestations have been detected, including in Beijing and Liaoning, but simply a general increase in respiratory diseases due to several known pathogens.”
“UKHSA is closely monitoring the situation and will respond as further information becomes available.”
Officials said UKHSA regularly scans the horizon for infectious disease outbreaks around the world and looks for potential threats to the UK.
The WHO has not recommended border restrictions on travel into and out of China, but has advised people not to travel if they have symptoms of a respiratory illness.
The statement further said: “If symptoms occur during or after travel, travelers are advised to seek medical advice and share their travel history with their healthcare professional.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.