China Data Suggests no Novel Pathogen Behind Surge in Respiratory Illness: WHO

NEW YORK:
The World Health Organisation said that China had shared data about a recent surge in respiratory illnesses in children, one day after the agency said it was seeking information about the possibility of undiagnosed pneumonia cases there.

The Chinese data indicated “no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens”, according to a WHO statement on Thursday. The data, which included laboratory results from infected children, indicated that the rise in cases was a result of known viruses and bacteria, such as influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae, a bacterium that causes usually a mild illness.

Hospital admissions of children had increased since May, as had outpatient visits, but hospitals were able to handle the increase, China told the global health agency.

The WHO made the request for information after Chinese news reports, as well as social media posts, had indicated a notable surge in sick children in recent weeks. Parents reported long lines, sometimes of eight hours or more, at children’s hospitals. China’s National Health Commission acknowledged the reports of overcrowding.

Some of those reports also caught the attention this week of members of ProMED, a disease-tracking site run by the International Society for Infectious Diseases that officials monitor for early warnings of potential emerging diseases.