China sees childhood pneumonia wave; officials tamp down outbreak fears

Nov 28, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Video Producer)

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Chinese hospitals are currently experiencing a surge in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia, primarily in children. Health officials say the spike in cases is likely due to the recent lifting of lockdowns, a trend other nations saw when lockdowns were lifted much earlier than China’s.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken notice of the spike in illnesses, saying it held a teleconference with Chinese health officials on Thursday, Nov. 23, and received requested data during the call.

China’s Health Ministry told the WHO that no unusual or unknown pathogens have been detected in the rise in respiratory illnesses, and it is reporting that the illnesses are a surge in pneumonia infections caused by COVID-19 lockdowns recently lifting in China.

A rise in sickness following lockdowns is a trend seen around the world and even in the U.S. When COVID restrictions eased, more people contracted RSV, the flu, and COVID. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed the view that avoiding infectious diseases for a prolonged period makes a population more susceptible when lockdowns, masking, social distancing and other precautions cease.

Health officials in China say the pathogen being most commonly found in its recent wave of patients is building resistance to treatment. Resistance rates in Beijing to this type of pneumonia are as high as 70% to 90%. According to health officials, these factors could also be contributing to this year’s higher levels of hospitalizations.

The WHO is monitoring the pneumonia spike out of China, but for now, according to the information from China’s Health Ministry, the viruses being treated are of known pathogens, which means it does not signal a new pathogen like COVID was or another pandemic.