The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said its monitoring reports of clusters of respiratory illness in children in northern China.
It stated that the Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission have reported an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in China.
Adding that the increase has been attributed to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19.
The World Health Organization (WHO) provided an update on 23 November after speaking with Chinese health authorities from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital.
While the Chinese authorities advised that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing, Liaoning, but only the general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens.
The Agency noted that it is closely monitoring the situation and will respond as more information becomes available.
UKHSA routinely conducts horizon scanning for international infectious disease signals to detect, assess and communicate potential infectious threats to UK public health and will continue to work with WHO as well as other professional organisations in the UK and internationally to better understand the current epidemiology.
Reacting to this development, the Chief Executive of UKHSA, Professor Dame Jenny Harries said: “The World Health Organization has received an official response from China following its request for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children.
He added, “We need to keep an open mind about the cause of any increased reporting of clusters of disease including of this illness in Chinese children.
“UKHSA is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to work with international partners to assess the emerging information as it becomes available”, he said.
Meanwhile, since mid-October 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems that have been showing an increase in respiratory illness in children in northern China.
At a press conference on 13 November 2023, China’s National Health Commission reported on a nationwide increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases, predominantly affecting children.
The Chinese authorities attributed this increase to lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the arrival of the cold season, and due to circulating known pathogens such influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS -CoV-2). Mycoplasma pneumonia and RSV are known to affect children more than adults.
Also on 22 November 2023, WHO identified media and ProMED reports about clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children’s hospitals in Beijing, Liaoning and other places in China.
Through the International Health Regulations mechanism, WHO made an official request to China to provide additional epidemiologic and clinical information, as well as laboratory results from these reported cases and data about recent trends in circulating respiratory pathogens.
A key purpose was to identify whether there have been “clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia” in Beijing and Liaoning as referred to in media reports, and if so whether these were separate events, or part of the known general increase in respiratory illnesses in the community. WHO further reached out through clinical networks for additional information.
On 23 November, WHO held a teleconference with Chinese health authorities from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital, facilitated by the National Health Commission.
And the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention, in which requested data were provided, indicating an increase in outpatient consultations and hospital admissions of children due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia since May, and RSV, adenovirus and influenza virus since October.
Some of these increases are earlier in the season than historically experienced, but not unexpected given the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, as similarly experienced in other countries.
No changes in the disease presentation were reported by the Chinese health authorities. Chinese authorities advised that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing.
And Liaoning, but only the aforementioned general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens. They further stated that the rise in respiratory illness has not resulted in patient loads exceeding hospital capacities.