Amid the reported outbreak of H9N2 cases and clusters of respiratory illness in children in northern China, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Director Dr Ajay Shukla advised people to be careful, follow routine practices of cleanness and if there’s someone who has got this respiratory illness or infection they should try to maintain distance from other people.
“I would just advise people to be careful. Follow routine practices of cleanness and if you feel that there’s someone who’s got this respiratory illness or infection, since a lot of these cases are viral and they can be transmitted, try to maintain distance from other people,” Dr Shukla said on Friday.
The advice comes after an undetermined pneumonia outbreak in China is hitting children hard, with media reports describing overwhelmed children’s hospitals in multiple locations.
“Because we are also dealing with pollution if you’re going out, and if you can afford it, it’s better you should use a mask, preferably an N95 and N99 mask. Wash your hands and maintain safe, healthy practices,” he added.
“Based on the limited information that is available, a few experts have given opinions about the increase in infection in children. According to one expert, because of COVID. And because of the very stringent lockdowns that we saw in China, the immunity in the general population and the children over there has been impacted and because of that low immunity, this rebound in cases is being seen,” Dr Shukla said.
Notably, the World Health Organization requested detailed information from China on an increase in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia among the country’s children, using language similar to a Jan. 5, 2020, pre-pandemic missive regarding COVID-19.
“According to another expert, it’s most probably just a bacterial infection or a viral infection. Some organism by the name of MIKO plasma pneumoniae, which is common and not a dangerous bacterial infection is probably at the root of this illness. This has led to an increase in cases and it’s basically because of the low immunity as a result of the severe lockdown,” he added.
Dr Shukla added that experts have also said that there is no need to worry about the disease in India as its symptoms have not been seen in the country yet.
With inputs from NDTV
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