WHO downplays China’s respiratory infections surge

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the recent surge in respiratory infections within China does not warrant widespread panic, as it falls within the expected range for this time of year during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

The global health regulator on Tuesday said it is in contact with Chinese health officials and has not received any reports of unusual outbreak patterns.

According to Chinese authorities reports, the health care system is not overwhelmed and there have been no emergency declarations or responses triggered.

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“In temperate climates, seasonal epidemics of common respiratory pathogens, including influenza, often occur during winter. The observed increases in acute respiratory infections and associated pathogen detections in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere in recent weeks are expected at this time of year and are not unusual. The co-circulation of respiratory pathogens may pose a burden to health facilities,” WHO said.

It further explains that these increases are typically caused by seasonal epidemics of respiratory diseases such as seasonal influenza, RSV, and other common respiratory viruses, including HMPV.

It said the co-circulation of multiple respiratory pathogens during the winter can sometimes cause an increased burden on healthcare systems treating sick persons.

Currently, in some countries in the temperate Northern hemisphere, influenza-like illness or acute respiratory infection rates have increased in recent weeks and are above baseline levels, following usual seasonal trends, WHO added.

It noted that influenza activity is elevated in many countries in Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, Western Africa, Middle Africa, and many countries across Asia, with the predominant seasonal influenza type and subtype varying by location, except during most of 2020 and 2021, when there was little influenza activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It explained that COVID-19 activity as detected in sentinel surveillance is currently low in countries in the Northern Hemisphere following prolonged high-level activity during summer months in the Northern Hemisphere.

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According to WHO, some countries conduct routine surveillance and report trends for other commonly circulating respiratory pathogens, such as HMPV, and report such information on a routine basis.

“Some countries in the Northern Hemisphere have reported increased trends, varying by virus, in recent weeks, typical for this time of year,” WHO stated.