Reuters-China ministry seeks more fever clinics to combat respiratory illness surge
November 26, 2023 2 min 388 words
中国卫生部敦促地方当局增设发热门诊，以应对冬季呼吸道疾病激增。这是自解除COVID-19限制以来中国首个完整冬季，全球关注的焦点。上周，世卫组织因监测新兴疾病计划的儿童肺炎簇群报告向中国请教更多信息，使问题升级。卫生部发言人称，呼吸道疾病激增与多种病原体同时传播有关，尤以流感为甚。评论指出，中国及世卫组织早期疫情报告透明度受质疑，强调必须加强信息报告，尤其是关注儿童病例高发的北方地区。报道凸显对抗疾病的挑战，呼吁增设诊所、延长服务时间、保障药品供应，强调防控工作在关键场所的必要性。这一情况引发对COVID解封影响的关切，强调应对流感高峰和COVID反弹的风险。在信息透明方面，国际社会对中国期望更多负责任的回应。总体而言，这一报道突显了疫情防控面临的复杂性和挑战，需要全球协同努力。
China's health ministry on Sunday urged local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics as the country grapples with a surge in respiratory illnesses in its first full winter since easing COVID-19 restrictions.
The spike become a global issue last week when the World Health Organization asked China for more information, citing a report on clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children by the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases.
China and the WHO have faced questions about the transparency of reporting early in the pandemic, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. The WHO said on Friday no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent illnesses.
National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said on Sunday the surge in acute respiratory illnesses was linked to the simultaneous circulation of several kinds of pathogens, most prominently influenza.
"Efforts should be made to increase the number of relevant clinics and treatment areas, appropriately extend service hours and strengthen guarantees of drug supplies," Mi told a news conference.
"It is necessary to do a good job in epidemic prevention and control in key crowded places such as schools, childcare institutions and nursing homes, and to reduce the flow of people and visits."
Cases among children are appearing especially high in northern areas like Beijing and Liaoning province, where hospitals are warning of long waits.
The State Council, China's cabinet, said on Friday that influenza would peak this winter and spring, while mycoplasma pneumoniae infection would remain high in some areas. It also warned of the risk of a rebound in COVID infections.
"All localities should strengthen information reporting on infectious diseases to ensure information is reported in a timely and accurate manner," the State Council said in a statement.
On Thursday the WHO said data provided by China suggested the recent cases were linked to the lifting of COVID curbs 11 months ago, along with the circulation of known pathogens like mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common bacterial infection that typically affects children, which has circulated since May.