Beijing and northern China hospitals experience a surge in children’s respiratory illnesses this winter. Hospitals are overwhelmed, with 7,000 daily patients at Beijing Children’s Hospital, surpassing its capacity, and over 13,000 children at the largest pediatric hospital in Tianjin. Health officials blame the spike on seasonal illnesses like influenza and RSV, as well as a bacterial infection called mycoplasma pneumonia. The situation in China attracted global attention after the World Health Organization asked for more information on an increase of respiratory illnesses and “reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children.” Although speaking with Chinese health officials, the WHO confirmed the surge in cases is due to common seasonal illnesses and mycoplasma pneumonia, not an unknown pathogen. Experts believe the surge is a result of the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and an increase in public concern for children’s health. Overwhelmed hospitals in China are requesting parents to seek primary care or general services before rushing kids to large pediatric facilities. Despite the surge coinciding with the easing of Covid-19 controls, it’s unclear if there has been an increase in respiratory illnesses among children relative to pre-pandemic years. Christine Jenkins, a professor of respiratory medicine at UNSW Sydney, emphasizes the importance of prompt reporting and monitoring of respiratory infections in the context of the pandemic.
Beijing Hospitals Facing Crisis as Respiratory Illnesses in Children Surge After Covid-19
