Despite the prevailing state of alarm due to the arrival of another deadly disease followed by a possible pandemicfeatured scientists urged caution after the World Health Organization requested more information from China about an increase in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia outbreaks among children.
“We have to be cautious,” he said. Marion Koopmans, Dutch virologist who advised the WHO on Covid-19. “We really need more information, especially diagnostics”said.
The alert published on Tuesday by the ProMED surveillance servicepart of the International Society of Infectious Diseases, aroused international concern. It requested more information about the “Undiagnosed pneumonia – China (Beijing, Liaoning)”.
The standard wording of the alert echoed the first notice of what would become the COVID-19sent December 30, 2019: “Undiagnosed pneumonia – China (Hubei)”.
Scientists say the increase in cases could be caused by another pathogen
Scientists said the similarity of the two alerts raised still unfounded concerns that the increase could be caused by another emerging pathogen that could trigger a pandemic.
Based on the information available to date, it is more likely that whether it is an increase in other common respiratory infections such as the fluas has been observed in many parts of the world after the lifting of confinements by the Covid. It could also indicate a resurgence of one’s own Covid.
The WHO always requests information from countries when undiagnosed or unknown diseases are reported, which happens quite regularly. However, he does not always issue a press release about it, as he did on Wednesday.
Brian McCloskeya public health expert who also advised the WHO about the pandemic, he stated: “What we are seeing is the system of WHO International Health Regulations in action”, referring to the rules that govern the way countries work with WHO about possible outbreaks.
“I’m not going to press the pandemic panic button based on what we know so far, but I will be very attentive to the response of China to the WHO and the subsequent evaluation of the WHO”he added.
According to the regulations, China has 24 hours to respond to the WHO.
Source: Ambito
