Endless queues in emergency rooms, patients forced to search hospitals one after another to seek treatment, parents raising alarms on social networks and the World Health Organization (WHO) worried: the images arriving from northern China are reminiscent of the most difficult hours of COVID-19. But this time, apart from that SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens are also at work: The flu (influenza A) dominates, but also the respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses and bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae are also widespread.
In light of this resurgence of infections, the Emerging Disease Surveillance Program (ProMED) issued an alert on Tuesday, November 21st highlighting this “a widespread outbreak of an undiagnosed respiratory disease.” “It is not at all clear when this outbreak began as it would be unusual for so many children to be affected so quickly.”emphasizes the organization in a press release.
The Chinese Health Commission held a press conference on November 13 to report an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases. Insufficient for the WHO, which made an official request “Detailed information on the increase in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia cases reported in China”November 22nd. The WHO also recommends the Chinese population “Take measures to reduce the risk of respiratory disease”especially vaccination, wearing masks and isolating patients.
“Immunity Debt”
While China did not communicate directly, the WHO conveyed Beijing’s response on Thursday evening : “Chinese authorities stated that neither new or unusual pathogens nor unusual clinical symptoms were detected, including in Beijing and Liaoning, but that it was simply a general increase in cases of respiratory illnesses due to known pathogens »the WHO said in a statement.
NO “Mysterious virus” therefore, as some media headlines, based on the ProMED warning that mentioned these diseases “undiagnosed”. Rather, it is the phenomenon that many countries experienced after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted: a strong return of other pathogens. In 2022, for example, France saw an explosion in cases of bronchiolitis, as children had little exposure to the respiratory syncytial virus for two years thanks to the use of barrier gestures.
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