Vantage | Why China's pneumonia outbreak deserves alarm bells it's ringing

A mysterious respiratory disease, which is being called “walking pneumonia” or “white lung syndrome," is targeting children in China. However, it’s not clear exactly what’s causing it. The cases originated in northern China, and Beijing is the worst affected city. Other major cities are showing spikes as well. A hospital in Shanghai reported a 175 per cent increase in paediatric visits this month. Schools in the city have started taking precautions. Hospitals in central and south-western China are issuing alerts. “If children have persistent fever, or even have convulsions, or are listless, they should go to the hospital as soon as possible," said Hua Ziyu, Vice President, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.

It looks like the infections are spreading throughout the Chinese mainland, but Beijing insists everything is under control. “China has a fully-fledged medical system. Recently, we have seen some clusters of flu cases among children in certain parts of China. In fact, that is a very common phenomenon in many countries and in China that has been put under effective control,” said China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “China’s interactions with the international community will not be affected by any factors. And we welcome more visits from friends from across the world, including you,” said Yi. So Wang Yi is trying to encourage visitors, and dispel fears. But it’s not working. China is already being accused of a cover up. Again, it feels like a rerun of the Wuhan Virus. Now, whether you believe the reports or not, the rest of the world is being cautious. For example, Taiwan has issued a warning on Thursday, this is for people with low immunity, children and older people. They’ve been urged to avoid going to China. Taiwan has also ramped up the production and imports of antibiotics. Domestic production of a pneumonia cure has been tripled, so Taipei isn’t taking any chances. Neither are other countries near China. Thailand has begun reviewing its hospitals, it has also asked people to mask up again. Nepal has also increased surveillance, it is already seeing a rise in respiratory infections. The head of a Kathmandu hospital said: “In light of the growing number of tourists visiting Nepal in recent weeks, I believe it’s crucial for us to prepare for a potential outbreak originating from China.” He says it is crucial to prepare for an outbreak, and that view is reflected in India as well. India’s health ministry has issued a warning. States have been asked to check their disease readiness. Beds, ventilators and oxygen cylinders are being prepared in Uttarakhand. The state shares a land border with China. It is on high alert. So are the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, Maharashtra. They want hospitals to ensure pandemic response systems are functional. There will be an increased surveillance of children who are hospitalised. This is to better understand the outbreak. Meanwhile, reports say international travellers may start getting screened at Maharashtra’s airports. This hasn’t been finalised yet. But it is being considered, and it makes sense. The cases are on the rise across the world. In Europe, there are reports of a spike in child pneumonia cases. The Netherlands has seen a surge. This is among children under the age of four. It is similar to the reports from China. Even though no direct link has been established. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is investigating. Though it seems to accept China’s explanation. China says this surge isn’t due to a new virus, but a combination of existing diseases. “We are following up with the situation in China and again, they have seen overall an increase in acute respiratory infections due to a number of different pathogens, including influenza, which is on the rise,” said Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead COVID-19, WHO health emergencies programme. The WHO says it is being vigilant, but it needs to act quicker, thankfully, Asian nations aren’t waiting around. We cannot afford another round of the Wuhan Virus. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._