Beijing Children’s Hospital was receiving up to 9,378 patients a day, and had been at full capacity during the past two months….reports Asian Lite News
A surge in respiratory illnesses in China, particularly among children, has reportedly swamped paediatric units in city hospitals, while authorities have urged calm, attributing it to a post-lockdown wave of illness, a media report said.
Many hospital wards are full, according to state and other media reports in China, The Guardian reported.
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The Global Times had reported on Tuesday that the Beijing Children’s Hospital was receiving up to 9,378 patients a day, and had been at full capacity during the past two months. It also said outpatient clinics, paediatric clinics, and respiratory departments at several Beijing hospitals were booked for at least seven days.
Photos and videos online and on state media showed crowded waiting rooms with beds lining hallways in a Hebei hospital. One report quoted parents in Jinan saying that half the students in their child’s class were sick, The Guardian reported.
Footage of students doing homework while in hospital reportedly prompted warnings from local officials that schools should not make children catch up on work while they are ill. In Hangzhou one parent told media that classes had been suspended because so many children were away.
Available data suggests rates of flu-like illnesses are more than double those of recent years, but authorities have urged calm, attributing the rise in cases to the beginning of the first flu season since pandemic restrictions were lifted, The Guardian reported.
‘Illnesses Connected to Winter’
After the Union Health Ministry recently said that it is closely monitoring the reported outbreak of H9N2 cases and clusters of respiratory illness in children, Director of Lady Harding Hospital, Dr Subhash Giri reiterated to take precautions and said that H9N2 virus in China is spreading among children and it has connection with winter. However, no oubreak of H9N2 virus has been reported in India.
Dr Subhash Giri, Director of Lady Harding Hospital, said, “At present, in China, the children who are born in this period or the children who are not exposed to the other viruses except COVID. Their immunity to the other routine viruses that caused the URI is far lower. It includes the immunity for influenza as well, and when the serotype is changed to H9N2, the immunity is still very low in these cases.”
H9N2 has stirred quite a lot of news in China, especially where children are being admitted with pneumonia. The reason for the H9N2 infection in China is that there was a lockdown due to COVID over there and the lockdown was strictly being followed by the government and people had to follow all the instructions of the government.
“The children who do not have any immunity if they get exposed to H9N2, which is quite a contagious virus that is spreading and added to that where the immunity is lower, the probability of developing pneumonia is very high. Routinely, influenza is present with upper respiratory tract infections, throat infections, rhinitis, cough pain, body aches and fever. But where the immunity is lower, the probability of developing pneumonia is very high. And that is what is being seen in China,” added Dr Giri.
H9N2 is a serotype influenza virus. The influenza virus is a common virus that comes at the end of the season, especially when there is the onset of winter.
“The difference over here is that routinely during the winter we have various viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections. In China, one virus has become quite prevalent; that stereotype is H9N2. The difference is that when we talk about our society in India, we have routine viruses, which are, accordingly, viral throat infections, upper respiratory tract infections and viral fever,” said Dr Giri.
Notably, at the onset of winter, pain in throat has been witnessed in many patients which is similar to the other routine virus and it is not H9N2. As of date, the Indian government has also taken swift action; this virus has not been isolated yet and people need not be worried or panicked about whether this virus will come to India or not.
The doctor said, “The immunity of our children in India is far better than the immunity of the Chinese children. So the probability of having admissions for infections in the lung or pneumonia shall be very low in our scenario because in our country, people are more open to the environment and their immunity is far better than in developed countries. So that is why their immunity to influenza is also very good.”
Because of the winter season, usually, even in adults, a lot of patients are coming with URIs and infections. However, this does not mean that there is a sudden surge in the number of patients. This is a routine patient who is coming to the OPD. In ENT OPD and in paediatric OPD, this is routine.
“I will not say that something very extraordinary is going on, although during the pollution there was a certain surge of some elderly patients who were coming and being admitted with complications. But this routine virus that is presenting itself to the children is not causing any complications per se, so there should not be any panic about it,” added Dr Giri.
Meanwhile, Union Health Ministry has come up with many preventive steps like – isolation bed or isolation wards, equipment and other things in place.
For any viral infection that is within the house or within the community, we always say that one should wear a mask and should stay in his house and in his room. Basically, viral spreads within the community and within the house. If one person gets infected, be it a child or the mother, then other members of the family will get infected. So we always say to stay away and keep all the preventive measures.
“In the same way, the precautions over here will also be the same but if any surge for H9N2 comes, then we probably need to gear up just like we did during COVID. I personally feel that I’m not finding any region where this virus will cause any problems or panic in India. It should not cause any panic,” he added. (IANS/ANI)
Delhi On High Alert
After an advisory issued by the Centre to all the states in connection to the emergence of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Wednesday said that although it is not clear in the advisory as to which disease we have to prepare for, but we are on high alert.
“A letter has been sent to all the states by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Central Government. It has been said that in China, respiratory infection is being seen in children, which is like influenza and pneumonia and corona-like symptoms have also been seen in it. But it is not clear in the Central Government’s letter as to which disease it is and what is its treatment. It’s a general advisory. I believe if there will be a specific advisory in it then it will be easy for the states to take proper actions,” the Aam Aadmi Party leader told ANI.
“As far as our preparation is concerned, our preparation is always there after Corona. We are on high alert. But if the Central Government gives us some specific information, then we will adjust our preparations accordingly,” he added.
Saurabh Bhardwaj said that according to the advisory, preparations should be made to avoid respiratory diseases.
“It is generally said in the advisory that preparations should be made for the protocols to avoid respiratory diseases, but it is not very clear whether this is a new variant of Corona or which variant it is and what is its treatment. If some more information is given then more preparations can be made better,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has proactively reviewed and strengthened preparedness measures against respiratory illness in the country.
As per sources, the ministry has strengthened the preparedness through the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
In view of recent reports of a surge in respiratory illnesses in children in northern China, health departments in States and Union territories across the country have been put on alert.
“Multipronged surveillance for respiratory infections has been reviewed and strengthened through NCDC and ICMR systems,” a source told ANI.
Sources further said that the Central government is keeping a close watch on developments in other countries too and is constantly in touch with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Recently, the Union Health Ministry issued an advisory to states/UTs’ to immediately review public health and hospital preparedness against respiratory illnesses, as a matter of abundant caution.
“Notably, it is important in view of ongoing influenza and winter season that results in an increase in respiratory illness cases,” it said, underlining that there is “no need for alarm”.
“Government of India is closely monitoring the situation and indicated that there is no need for any alarm. In a letter by the Union Health Secretary to States and Union Territories, they have been advised to immediately review public health and hospital preparedness measures viz. availability of HR, hospital beds, drugs and vaccines for influenza, medical oxygen, antibiotics, personal protective equipment, testing kits and reagents, functionality of oxygen plants and ventilators, infection control practices in health facilities, at a senior level”, the ministry said.
All States and Union Territories have been advised to implement ‘Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in the context of COVID-19’, shared earlier this year, which provides for integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens presenting as cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), the notification read. (ANI)
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