'ICMR, DGHS taking necessary action': Mansukh Mandaviya amid China's pneumonia outbreak

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said that India’s health institutions are closely monitoring the ongoing pneumonia outbreak in China, with appropriate actions being taken. Mandaviya stated, “The government is continuously paying attention to the situation of pneumonia spreading within China. ICMR and the Director General of Health Services are keeping an eye on it and taking necessary action.” The media and ProMED had earlier reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China on November 21. Addressing the issue, Dr Ajay Shukla from RML Hospital mentioned that there has been minimal impact on India so far. He commented on reports of respiratory issues among children in China, stating, “There are reports in the media that there has been a surge in respiratory problems among small children in China. WHO is concerned about this and is trying to seek details from the Government of China about it. Some experts are saying that this might be the case of a bacterial infection named Mycoplasma pneumonia. We cannot say much unless details are received. This might be a repercussion due to a weakness in immunity because of lockdown. Unless details are received, we cannot say anything. The whole world is observing this situation with seriousness. Till now, there has not been much impact on India. If anything is reported in India, we will have to take precautions,” reported ANI. It’s noteworthy that hospitals in Beijing and northern China are facing a surge in respiratory illnesses among children, especially with the approaching winter after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions nearly a year ago. Chinese authorities disclosed an uptick in respiratory diseases during a press conference on November 13. A Beijing Children’s Hospital official noted that the current daily patient count of over 7,000 exceeds the hospital’s capacity. On Saturday, Tianjin’s largest pediatric hospital set a record with over 13,000 children seeking outpatient and emergency care. With inputs from ANI