China warns of surge in respiratory illness after mystery disease hits kids

China said a surge in mycoplasma-caused pneumonia in children shows signs of ebbing, but warned that other respiratory illnesses are likely to hit the broader population hard during the mainland’s first winter after Covid-19 restrictions. 

Health authorities in Beijing say flu, adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus have surpassed mycoplasma as the most frequently detected pathogens among patients at the city’s top pediatric medical centers. Nearby Tianjin and financial hub Shanghai have also seen their mycoplasma positivity rates trending down in recent days, according to local media reports. 
 

But even as the mycoplasma danger for kids subsides, China’s National Health Commission said late last week that the spread of several respiratory pathogens could converge into a major outbreak between now and next spring. 
 

 

The steady rise in pneumonia among children in kindergartens and primary schools flooded hospitals this month and prompted the World Health Organization to make an inquiry with Beijing. China said known germs were causing the outbreak — mostly mycoplasma pneumoniae, a bacterial infection that typically leads to mild colds in older children and adults but could cause more serious illness among younger kids. 

The surge sparked a rush to hospitals by anxious parents, putting top pediatric medical centers under strain. Pictures of overcrowded hallways and children on intravenous infusions have gone viral on Chinese social media. More people are wearing masks on public transportation in cities including Beijing and some schools in eastern Zhejiang province suspended in-person teaching after several kids were sick with mycoplasma and other illnesses. Some parents have also called for temporary school shutdowns to prevent the spread.