The internal medicine department of Beijing Hospital treats 7,000 patients a day! WHO asks China to provide details of childhood pneumonia infections | Taibao | LINE TODAY

Multiple respiratory disease outbreaks have recently occurred in China. Hospitals across the country have been overcrowded, and the number of respiratory infection cases in children has increased sharply. The internal medicine department of Beijing Children’s Hospital treats 7,000 people a day. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially requested the Chinese authorities on the 22nd to provide detailed information on cluster infections of unknown pneumonia in children.

WHOexpress, including ProMED (Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases) and other platforms, have reported that clusters of unknown pneumonia infections among children have recently occurred in northern China. The WHO stated that it is currently unclear whether this phenomenon is related to the increase in respiratory infections previously reported in China.

The WHO statement pointed out that China’s National Health Commission held a meeting on the 13thpress conference, notifying that China has entered the season of high incidence of respiratory diseases in winter, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae (called “Mycoplasma pneumoniae” in China), influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus, new coronavirus, adenovirus and other viruses that are raging at the same time. The Chinese National Health Commission emphasized that it will strengthen disease surveillance in medical institutions and communities.

The WHO stated that it has requested China to provide more epidemiological and clinical medical information, as well as laboratory test results of childhood pneumonia infection cases, through the WHO’s International Health Regulations mechanism.

Lessons from the COVID-19 epidemic: WHO asks China to explain the current situation of pneumonia infections in children

The WHO also asked China to provide information on the current prevalence of pathogens and the load level of the Chinese authorities’ medical system. The WHO stated that it has contacted local clinical medical experts and scientists through its existing technical partners and networks in China.

From the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020, the earliest cases of Covid-19 appeared in Wuhan, China and spread rapidly around the world. The transparency of the epidemic by the Chinese authorities and the WHO was questioned by the outside world.

The WHO stated that northern China has seen an increase in influenza-like cases since mid-October compared with the past three years. The WHO said that China has established a disease reporting mechanism and can report case statistics to platforms such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System.

Chinese media recently reported that respiratory diseases such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae (called Mycoplasma pneumoniae in China) infections are highly prevalent this winter, and the number of infection cases among children has increased significantly. China Central Radio reported on the 21st that Li Yuchuan, director of the outpatient department of Beijing Children’s Hospital, said that the hospital’s internal medicine department currently receives more than 7,000 patients per day, far exceeding the hospital’s capacity.

It was even circulated on the social media platform Some netizens expressed fear, “This is a sight that our country’s children have never seen before.”

Chinese doctor: The peak of Mycoplasma pneumoniae has passed, but it may be mixed with other viruses

Li Yuchuan said that currently, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus have replaced Mycoplasma as the main pathogens at this peak of infection. He said that currently the serious rate of respiratory infections is not high, and parents can seek medical treatment online.

The Central News Agency reported that a Mycoplasma pneumonia epidemic occurred in China in September. An infectious disease doctor said that in more than 30 years of practice, this is the first time he has encountered so many children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae. According to Chao News, in September and October this year, the number of children infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae in three key hospitals in Quzhou, Zhejiang was 17.8 times higher than the same period last year.

The Beijing Municipal Health Commission pointed out that Mycoplasma pneumoniae has a small peak every 3 to 5 years, and 2023 will be a “big year” for infection. Mycoplasma pneumoniae may have genetic mutations that make it resistant to azithromycin, making it easy to cause lung infections very quickly. Some doctors in Wuhan pointed out that children infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae this year generally have severe symptoms, and pneumonia may occur after two or three days of fever.

According to reports, although the Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemic has slowed down, the currently raging adenovirus and Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause mixed infections with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, aggravating symptoms; and the younger the child, the greater the risk of mixed infection. .