BEIJING: The recent surge of respiratory illnesses in China is fueled by known pathogens, and vaccination efforts are still vital to stem the spread, medical experts said.
Mi Feng, National Health Commission spokesman, said the clusters were all caused by recognized pathogens, and medical workers are dealing with them by using mature treatment plans.
“Diseases induced by unknown viruses and bacteria have not been detected yet,” he told a news conference in Beijing.
Mi said vaccinations must be stepped up for vulnerable groups such as older adults and children to lower the risk of infection.’
He said their work priorities would be to increase the supply of hospital beds, streamline the outpatient reception process and bolster the supply of online medical services to avoid large gatherings in hospitals.
The spokesman urged the public to take personal precautions such as wearing masks, washing hands and increasing room ventilation.
A co-circulation of infections including mycoplasma pneumonia, flu and respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, has swept across many regions in recent weeks as temperatures dropped.
World Health Organization experts attributed the rise to a phenomenon known as “immunity gap”, which has been observed across the globe after countries eased COVID-19 restrictions. An immunity gap was caused by a dramatic reduction in the circulation of viruses and bacteria due to strict COVID precautions, which reduced children’s immunological defenses against cold-causing viruses. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
