ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – China is facing an emergency situation of pneumonia which attacks children.
Pneumonia is a condition where the lungs become inflamed, causing respiratory problems for sufferers.
Quoted from the official WHO website, it was reported that on November 13 2023, Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission reported an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in the country.
Chinese authorities attributed this increase to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae (a common bacterial infection that usually affects children), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).
On November 21, the media and ProMED reported a cluster of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. This continued to increase until October with other reports, namely an increase in influenza-like illnesses compared to the last 3 periods in China.
Quoting from Aljazeera on Friday, November 24 2023, hospitals in Beijing experienced a surge in the number of patients, especially in children’s wards.
One major hospital in Beijing City reported that on average every day, it sees around 1,200 patients entering the emergency room. Not only that, schools in Beijing also reported high levels of absenteeism, even canceling entire classes for at least a week if some students were sick and warning parents to be extra careful.
Health officials worry that winter will worsen the spread of infections after China’s national weather authority warned that cold temperatures in the country would drop further.
WHO and medical staff in China have advised people in the country to strengthen practices implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as strict hand washing, wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities emphasized the need to improve disease surveillance in health facilities and community settings, as well as strengthening the health system’s capacity to treat patients. (AT Network)
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