The rise in respiratory diseases in China raises concerns for the World Health Organization - DW

the Global Health Organization On Wednesday (11/22/2023), he expressed his concern about the increase in respiratory diseases in… China It asked residents to “take measures” for protection, according to a statement published on the social networking site “X”.

The bulletin stated, “The World Health Organization sent an official request to China to obtain detailed information about the increase in respiratory diseases and the outbreak of pneumonia among children,” and the bulletin recommended taking “measures to reduce the risks of respiratory diseases.”

Chinese authorities and media have reported an increase in respiratory illnesses, including pockets of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in the north of the country.

On November 22, the World Health Organization requested “additional epidemiological and clinical information, as well as laboratory results of the outbreak among children.”

Circulation of pathogens

It also requested “supplementary information on recent trends in the spread of known pathogens, especially influenza, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for Covid-19), respiratory syncytial virus that infects children, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, as well as the degree of crowding in the system,” the statement added. Healthy.

The organization indicated that the Chinese authorities attribute this increase in respiratory diseases to the lifting of anti-Covid restrictions and the spread of known pathogens.

China’s proposed measures are similar to those applied during the Covid-19 pandemic: vaccination, staying away from sick people, staying home if symptoms appear, getting tested and wearing a mask if necessary, in addition to ventilating the building well. Wash your hands well.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the first cases of which were detected in China at the end of 2019, the World Health Organization has admonished Beijing on numerous occasions for its lack of transparency and cooperation.

The World Health Organization and various countries also denounced China’s lack of cooperation in the investigation to determine the origins of the epidemic, which has not yet reached final conclusions.

JC (AFP, Reuters)