Pneumonia Outbreak in China

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is H9N2?
• News Summary: China reports mysterious respiratory illness among children
• Key highlights: China reports mysterious respiratory illness among children
• Response of WHO
• How is India monitoring the scenario?
• India’s preparedness

Why in news?

• A mysterious pneumonia-like respiratory illness is affecting children and overwhelming hospitals in certain clusters across northern China.
• In this context, the Union health ministry in India said there are low risk to India from avian influenza as well clusters of respiratory illness.
• The government further said it was closely monitoring the outbreak of H9N2 and clusters of respiratory illness in children in China.

H9N2

• About
  • H9N2 is a subtype of the influenza A virus, which causes bird flu and human influenza.
  • It was first isolated in 1966 in Wisconsin, US from turkey flocks. H9N2 viruses are found in wild birds worldwide and are endemic in poultry in many areas.
  • According to the WHO, with avian influenza viruses circulating in poultry, there is a risk for sporadic infection and small clusters of human cases due to exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments.
• Human infections
  • H9N2 virus infections in humans are rare, but likely under-reported due to typically mild symptoms of the infections.
    • The WHO's overall risk assessment indicates a low probability of human to human spread and low case fatality rate among human cases of H9N2.
  • Cases of human infection have been observed in Hong Kong, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Egypt.
• Spread of infection
  • Humans are usually infected through close contact with infected birds, bodily fluid droplets, or other contaminated material.
  • Birds shed influenza viruses in their faeces, so contact with bird droppings is also a possible transmission route.
• First case in India
  • The virus was picked up in February 2019 during a community-based surveillance study in 93 villages of Korku tribes in Melghat district of Maharashtra.

News Summary: China reports mysterious respiratory illness among children

• Recently, at a press conference, Chinese authorities reported an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in China.
• They attributed them to circulation of common pathogens such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, COVID-19, and mycoplasma pneumonae.

Key highlights

• Signs and symptoms
  • The primary symptoms reported are consistent with pneumonia, like fever, cough, cold and breathing difficulties.
  • Some children are requiring hospitalisation given the severity of the disease.
• Explanation given by Chinese authorities
  • Chinese authorities attributed this increase to:
    • the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and
    • the circulation of known pathogens such as:
      • influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae (a common bacterial infection which typically affects younger children),
      • respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and
      • SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19)

Response of WHO

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) made an official request to China for detailed information on the illness.
• Although no known or new pathogen has been identified yet, the WHO is pressing the alert button in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • It doesn’t want to be caught unawares about a potential disease threat.

How is India monitoring the scenario?

• The Health Ministry said it is also monitoring the reported case of human H9N2 avian influenza in China that was reported in October.
• A meeting was held under the chairmanship of the director general of health services to discuss the preparedness measures for the same.
• As per the statement from the health ministry:
  • The overall risk assessment by the WHO indicates a low probability of human-to-human spread and low case fatality among humans;
  • there was a low risk to India from both;
  • India is prepared for any kind of public health exigency.

India’s preparedness

• India is embarking on a One Health approach to adopt a holistic and integrated roadmap towards addressing such public health issues.
• There has also been a significant strengthening of health infrastructure especially since the COVID pandemic.
• PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) was launched to develop capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary.
  • It has prepared health systems in responding effectively to the current and future pandemics /disasters.
• In addition, India’s surveillance and detection networks under Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) have rich experience of dealing with challenging health situations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Q1) What is bird flu?

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a type A influenza virus that spreads among birds. It can be lethal to poultry and potentially fatal in humans.

Q2) What is Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)?

The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is a nationwide system in India that monitors diseases. It was launched in 2004 with the help of the World Bank. The IDSP is intended to be the backbone of the country's public health delivery system.

Source: ‘Closely monitoring situation, low risk to India’: Govt on spike in respiratory illness in China | PIB | Indian Express