China claims that the respiratory illness surge happening across the Asian country is not caused by a new novel virus. The Chinese health ministry shared this detail after the World Health Organization began investigating the alarming outbreak.
As of writing, China's healthcare system is becoming the main focus of WHO and other international health organizations as a mysterious pneumonia outbreak sweeps across the country.
Because the COVID-19 virus allegedly originated in China, many health experts started to become worried as they believed that the mysterious respiratory infections could become another global pandemic.
China Claims Respiratory Illness Surge Isn't Caused by Novel Virus
A Chinese health worker checks the temperature of a woman entering a subway station during the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival on January 25, 2020 in Beijing, China. The number of cases of a deadly new coronavirus rose to over 1300 in mainland China.
On Sunday, Nov. 26, the Chinese health ministry clarified that the respiratory illnesses are caused by the flue and other known pathogens, as reported by Politico.
A PRC National Health Commission spokesperson specifically said that the infections happen because of the overlapping of common viruses. These include rhinoviruses, influenza virus, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the adenovirus.
Before the National Health Commission's explanation, WHO said that it wants China to provide specific details regarding the mysterious pneumonia outbreak as cases are alarmingly increasing across the country.
Some experts that this scenario is familiar since the World Health Organization also asked the same thing from China when the COVID-19 pandemic was still starting.
As of writing, internal accounts in China said that the respiratory illness outbreaks have swamped some hospitals in northern China, such as Beijing.
WHO officials said that since there's too little information about the ongoing pneumonia surge in China, it is still difficult to assess the risk of these respiratory illnesses.
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China Seeking More Fever Clinics
A mother puts a mask on her son at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, 17 March 2003, to protect against a mysterious outbreak of pneumonia which has now spread to other parts of the world. Eighty-three people in Hong Kong have been struck down with the disease which has now spread to Canada.
According to CNBC's latest report, China is urging local authorities to make efforts to increase the number of fever clinics so they can handle the rising respiratory illnesses among children.
"Efforts should be made to increase the opening of relevant clinics and treatment areas, extend service hours, and increase the supply of medicines," said PRC NHC spokesman Mi Feng.
He added that health officials should do a good job in epidemic control and prevention, especially in key crowded areas. These include schools, nursing homes, and childcare institutions.
Mi Feng further stated that they should make more efforts to reduce the flow of people and visits to these key places.
Related Article: WHO Investigates Mysterious Pneumonia in China as Cases Increase-Will This Become Another Pandemic?
