Ohio has become the first US state to report a mysterious rise in pediatric pneumonia as cases rise in China.
The Warren County Health District has reported 142 cases of the illness among children since August, according to a press release.
This is above the county average and meets the Ohio Department of Health’s definition of an outbreak.
However, officials do not consider it to be a new respiratory illness, but “rather a large increase in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time.”
The disease has spread to several school districts and the average age of those who have become ill is 8 years old, the local health district said.
So far “there is no conclusive pattern among diagnosed children,” but many have symptoms of cough, fever and fatigue.
Children also tested positive for mycoplasma pneumonia, strep, and adenovirus, which includes the common cold, according to the health district.
The Warren County Health District is investigating any “possible associations and risk factors.”
The disease has spread to several school districts and the average age of those who get sick is 8 years old. Penn State Health China has seen a large increase in pneumonia among children in parts of the country, where hospitals are overcrowded and have long wait times. AFP via Getty Images
Health organizations are encouraging students and their loved ones to wash their hands, cover their coughs, and stay home when sick, as well as stay up to date on vaccines as a precaution this winter.
The county said: “The information is being shared so that individuals are aware of illnesses in the community and take the necessary steps to protect their health… It is not unusual for respiratory illnesses to spread in the community at this time of year.”
The Post has reached out to the CDC for comment.
China has seen a large increase in pneumonia among children in parts of the country, where hospitals are overcrowded and have long waiting times.
Some schools in Beijing have also suspended classes due to high infection rates. AFP via Getty Images
The WHO issued an official request for information, which sought “additional epidemiological and clinical information, as well as laboratory results” from China, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The request itself is routine, but the WSJ said it is “relatively rare” for a United Nations agency to do so publicly.
Some schools in Beijing have also suspended classes due to high infection rates, the WSJ reported.
Other countries, such as Denmark and the Netherlands, have also reported an increase in pneumonia cases since the summer, according to the University of Minnesota.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
