China Reports Increase in Simultaneous Influenza and Pneumonia Infections... Pneumonia Without Symptoms Also Rising

Pediatric Hospital Crowded with Children Suffering from Respiratory Diseases
South Korean Government Agencies Launch Joint Response

In China, following Mycoplasma pneumonia, the spread of epidemic influenza is causing health authorities to go on high alert.

According to local media such as the Pengpai Newspaper on the 8th, Mycoplasma pneumonia, which began spreading in September, is still rampant, and recently, the number of epidemic influenza infections has also surged.

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Hospital doctors explained, "There are still many respiratory disease patients mainly among children, most of whom are Mycoplasma pneumonia and epidemic influenza patients," adding, "Recently, the number of epidemic influenza infections is surpassing that of Mycoplasma pneumonia patients."

In addition, cases of patients simultaneously infected with both Mycoplasma pneumonia and epidemic influenza are increasing among respiratory disease patients.

One doctor said, "Respiratory diseases that began spreading in elementary, middle, and high schools after the start of this fall semester have recently reached peak levels," and added, "There are many patients suffering from pneumonia and influenza at the same time."

He added, "Since a significant portion of respiratory disease patients are children, pediatric hospitals are increasing respiratory disease clinics."

Chinese epidemic prevention authorities expect the peak to occur in mid-December, but it is uncertain whether the spread will remain within a controllable range afterward.

Beijing pediatrics crowded with respiratory disease patients.
[Image source=China Central (CC) TV capture]

In fact, Longhua Hospital, a tertiary general hospital in Shanghai, is full of pediatric patients with respiratory diseases.

The emergency room and fever clinic are operating 24 hours a day, and most pediatricians are assigned to treat respiratory diseases.

Li Won, head of pediatrics at this hospital, stated, "Pediatricians work more than six days a week and see about 70 patients per half-day each. They often skip lunch and work overtime frequently, and many doctors cannot rest even when they have respiratory diseases."

He warned, "The number of patients who have already developed pneumonia according to computed tomography (CT) scans, despite lacking clear symptoms such as coughing, is increasing. Since the condition worsens rapidly, if a patient has had a fever for several days, there is a high possibility of pneumonia."

The Chinese Ministry of Education recently issued a warning and instructed frontline schools to do their best to prevent and control respiratory diseases by urging infected teachers and students to refrain from attending school, stockpiling masks and antipyretics, following an increase in respiratory disease patients that caused class suspensions and a shortage of hospital beds.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.