The World Health Organization expressed concern on Wednesday about the increase in respiratory diseases in China, which has a serious respiratory infection epidemic and hospitals are overcrowded, and called on people to “take measures” to protect themselves.
issuing time:
7 minutes
Respiratory diseases such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection are highly prevalent in China this winter. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus are all raging at the same time. The epidemic is becoming increasingly serious. Many hospitals are overcrowded, and most of the patients are young children. The emergency department of Beijing Children’s Hospital even reached 2000. Multiple numbers.
The WHO has issued a formal request to China for detailed information on increased reports of respiratory illness and pneumonia outbreaks in children. It also recommends taking “measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness.” These measures, which have been emphasized repeatedly during the COVID-19 pandemic, include getting vaccinated, keeping your distance from sick people, staying home if you have symptoms, getting tested and treated when necessary, as well as wearing masks, keeping places well-ventilated, and washing hands when appropriate.
After Chinese authorities and Chinese media reported an increase in respiratory illnesses, including an undiagnosed outbreak of pneumonia in children in northern China, WHO requested on November 22 “updates on these reported outbreaks in children through the International Health Regulations mechanism.” Multiple epidemiological and clinical information and laboratory results”.
The organization “also requested additional information on the latest prevalence trends of known pathogens, particularly influenza, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), RSV affecting infants, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and on the level of crowding in health care systems.”
The U.N. organization said Chinese authorities attributed the increase in respiratory illnesses to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens.
According to reports from many Chinese media, the respiratory tract infection epidemic is serious in many places in China. The outpatient hall of Beijing Children’s Hospital has been crowded with parents of children collecting medicines and paying bills for days. The medical information signboard showed that the waiting list for the comprehensive internal medicine clinic was full on the morning of the 21st, and there were still 628 people waiting for treatment in the emergency internal medicine department.
Reports pointed out that the infusion rooms and diagnosis and treatment rooms of various departments of the Children’s Hospital were almost full, and there were many children sitting on folding chairs prepared by their parents and getting IV drips in the hospital corridors. Some parents pointed out that not all of the more than 700 children listed in the emergency room yesterday had completed their treatment, and as of 11:20 a.m., today’s list had not yet started.
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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 that of 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. The pathogen of mycoplasma may have genetic mutations and be resistant to azithromycin, which can easily cause lung infection very quickly.
Wen Danning, director of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Department of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, pointed out that this year children generally have severe symptoms after Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, and pneumonia may occur after two or three days of fever.
According to reports, the Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemic has slowed down. Many doctors pointed out that influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus have now replaced Mycoplasma as the main pathogens causing the recent peak infection. However, adenovirus and Streptococcus pneumoniae can be mixed with mycoplasma, and the younger the child, the greater the risk of mixed infection; if combined with mycoplasma infection, the child’s symptoms will worsen, and parents should be more vigilant.
It is reported that parents are rushing to large hospitals for treatment because they are worried that their children’s condition will worsen. Li Yuchuan, director of the outpatient department of Beijing Children’s Hospital, said on the 21st that the hospital’s internal medicine department currently receives more than 7,000 patients per day, far exceeding the hospital’s capacity.
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2023-11-23 00:33:09
