Another Covid-like scare from China? Experts tell WION what exactly it is

The World Health Organization (WHO) has examined an alarming situation in China as the nation saw a sudden surge of respiratory illness among children. The world health body has asked Beijing to provide disease data, but China on Friday (Nov 24) claimed that no unusual or novel pathogens had been detected. 

The cases among children came as a scare as the world is still reeling from the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19), which killed millions and left a million others with symptoms of long-Covid. 

The first known case of Covid was reported in China towards the end of 2019, but the exact origin of the virus was never identified in the absence of a lack of proper and accurate data. 

When the virus started to spread, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020. After an uncontrolled spread of the virus, the outbreak became a pandemic in a few weeks. 

Health experts have often said that the Covid pandemic was not a one-off thing, something like that may happen again and the world should be prepared for it. But no one said exactly when. And the recent reports of an increase in “influenza-like illness” since mid-October have scared people globally. 

The WHO said Thursday (Nov 23) that Chinese authorities had responded, advising “that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing and Liaoning”. 

China’s National Health Commission told reporters last week that the respiratory illness spike was due to the lifting of the Covid measures and the circulation of known pathogens, namely influenza and common bacterial infections that affect children, including mycoplasma pneumonia. 

To know more about the situation WION reached out to several health experts. Dr Sushila Kataria, who is the Senior Director of Internal Medicine at Medanta in Gurugram, said that the recent cases in China prompted concerns “reminiscent of the events in November and December 2019”. 

She said that the Chinese government has clarified that these cases are attributed to known pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, including the influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, some COVID cases, and some mycoplasma cases. 

“Given that the incidence of pneumonia typically increases during winter, it is hoped that this surge is seasonal,” Dr Kataria said. 

Dr Himanshu Batra, who is a consultant in Pediatrics at HCMCT Manipal Hospital in New Delhi’s Dwarka, said that pneumonia is a respiratory infection of the lungs. The common symptoms of pneumonia are fever, fast breathing, poor appetite, vomiting, and coughing, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus. 

There are some cases of atypical pneumonia, fever gradually increases, and coughing is prominent. Experts then go for a chest X-ray and a few blood tests. 

Dr Batra said that what is happening in China is that a lot of children are getting hospitalised because of pneumonia. “The organism they have identified looks like it is Mycoplasma pneumonia,” he said, further adding that it is usually seen mostly in children who are “more than five years old, school-age children, not in small infants and younger children”. 

WHO has urged people to take preventative measures, including getting vaccinated, keeping distance from sick people and wearing masks. 

Dr Ritesh Yadav, who is a Consultant, in Internal Medicine at Paras Health in Gurugram, responded to the WHO process, as he said: “The WHO routinely seeks clarity on infectious clusters worldwide, yet public appeals indicate potential concerns over transparency.” 

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The WHO report stated that the Chinese government has ruled out the presence of any new viruses or bacteria. While reacting to the report, Dr Kataria said that “there is no immediate risk of the situation spreading globally or reaching India. While there is a sense of reassurance, it is important to remain cautious”. 

She also said that in India, there may be an increase in influenza cases and it is advised to “prioritise influenza vaccination”. She also suggested consistently practising cough etiquette to mitigate potential risks. 

Dr Kataria added, “Vigilance remains crucial despite the current understanding of the situation.” 

Meanwhile, Dr Yadav said that despite concerns, “restraint is crucial before sounding alarm bells”. 

He said that “as we await official confirmation, taking proactive measures remains paramount”. 

“The prospect of a similar seasonal trend in India necessitates caution which includes: mask-wearing, vaccination for the vulnerable, maintaining distance, hand hygiene, and home isolation for the unwell,” Dr Yadav added.