The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on China to provide information about a recent surge in lung infections among children. The situation has raised concerns as it bears similarities to the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chinese authorities announced a significant increase in respiratory infections on November 13th, and since mid-October, various media outlets have reported on cases of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. The WHO has urged China to be transparent about the disease and its spread, as it is unclear whether the cases are simply a general increase in respiratory illnesses or a new disease.
The WHO previously criticized China for not being transparent enough during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is essential to note that it is still unclear whether the current situation is related to Covid-19 or not. The National Health Commission of China has attributed the increase in lung infections to the lifting of Covid-19 measures. Similar developments have been observed in other countries, such as Germany, where there was a surge in severe colds after the relaxation of measures. The WHO has called on Chinese citizens to take measures to prevent respiratory infections, including wearing masks and practicing regular hand hygiene.
The WHO has also requested information on the current trends in the spread of known pathogens such as influenza, Sars-CoV-2, RSV, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, as well as the current burden on health systems. The situation is still developing, and the WHO is closely monitoring the situation. It is crucial for China to be transparent and provide timely information to the WHO and the international community to prevent the spread of any potential disease.
