Respiratory disease in China due to common viruses, no pandemic risk, says AIIMS doctor
Dr. Kabra also said that it may be due to the strict lockdown in China that the number of cases of respiratory diseases is increasing.
New Delhi: As the number of cases of respiratory disease increases in China, Dr. SK Kabra, head of the Mother and Child Unit at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), assured that there is no imminent threat of another COVID-like pandemic. He clarified that viral infections are common during the winter months and that the current wave in China is not indicative of a new pandemic.
“The reports from China now show that there has been a sudden increase in respiratory infections between October and November and they have observed this to be more common in children. Mycoplasma has been observed. They didn’t see any new or unusual viruses. There is no evidence yet that it is a new organism and it is difficult to say whether it can cause a pandemic like COVID. This option is not yet available,” Dr SK Kabra told news agency ANI.
He further said that in the reports from China, common viruses have been observed in the winter season.
“Now experts have discussed this and according to them there could be two to three things that have increased it. Firstly, viral infections are more common in winter and the most important are influenza, adenovirus and mycoplasma. So far, the same viruses are visible in the reports of the organisms spreading in China and there is nothing new. People are very worried because the pandemic has just ended or a new virus has arrived,” said SK Kabra.
Dr. Kabra also said that it may be due to the strict lockdown in China that the number of cases of respiratory diseases is increasing.
“Look, the lockdown in China was very strict. It was lifted in December last year and since then it has been the first winter there. As far as we know about infections in children, every child under the age of 5 gets a viral infection 3 to 8 times a year and with each infection he becomes immune to it. After the age of 5, the number of infections decreases. So the children in China who cannot come out of their homes due to the lockdown have not developed, making them susceptible to the infection,” he added.
“There is a hypothesis that the children who have not had this infection for 2-3 years during the lockdown will now have the infection. If one child gets it, he will infect 10 more, causing a sudden increase in the number of cases,” he claimed.
He further urged people to observe hygiene and use sanitisers at the most. “If a child has an infection, do not send him outside until he has recovered. Normally flu lasts a week. One can use a mask and respect social distancing. Everyone should also take care of hygiene and use sanitizer. We already experienced the phase that China is currently experiencing last year, so there is no problem. We now know better than before how the pandemic is being managed. The ministry has instructed doctors to investigate whether such cases occur. If any abnormality is observed, inform them so that appropriate action can be taken,” said Dr SK Kabra.