Increase in Respiratory Diseases in China, Iran, and Other Countries; Dr. Attari: We Are Not Facing a New Virus

The World Health Organization, after requesting more information from China regarding the rise in respiratory diseases and pneumonia among children in the country, announced that health officials have not identified any unusual or new pathogens and there is no reason to raise a global alarm. The increase in respiratory diseases in China comes as the country begins its first winter since the lifting of strict COVID-19 restrictions. The WHO stated that current statistics are not higher than what was reported in the cold seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Mohammad Kazem Attari, a physician and social medical researcher residing in the U.S., told Voice of America that China's approach of withholding information about the respiratory disease outbreak that began two months ago has fueled doubts about the possibility of a new pandemic. Dr. Attari emphasized that based on available information, it does not appear that we are facing a new virus. He stated, "In previous years, due to COVID control and precautions, we did not witness the spread of common viruses and bacteria, but this year precautions have been lifted, and over the past two to three years, these viruses and bacteria have undergone changes that the immune system has not encountered and has not been trained to deal with, making these changes unfamiliar to it." What pathogens are circulating? Chinese health officials say the current increase is mainly associated with known pathogens such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common bacterial infection that usually affects younger children and has been circulating since May. Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and adenovirus have been circulating since October. Dr. Attari notes that we are currently witnessing the spread of a range of different bacteria and viruses, including Mycoplasma, influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, which have contributed to the increase in disease prevalence. The WHO also announced that China has shared data, including laboratory results of affected children, with the organization, and no unusual pathogens have been observed. Dr. Attari explained that another issue facing doctors is antibiotic resistance. He said, "Common antibiotics that were previously used sometimes create resistance between 70 to 90 percent. This makes treating diseases more difficult in older individuals, children, and those with weaker immune systems." Increase in Respiratory Diseases in Iran The Iranian Ministry of Health, weeks after reports of rising respiratory diseases in Iran, encouraged people to wear masks and get vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19, with only the Iranian version available. Dr. Attari stated that respiratory viruses in Iran have also been circulating with very high extent and intensity for the past two months, and after a period of silence, the Ministry of Health was eventually forced to acknowledge the increase in respiratory disease prevalence in Iran. Bahram Einollahi, the Minister of Health, stated that Iran has been witnessing an outbreak of "a type of cold" among the people for about two months, which he claims originates from the influenza virus. Simultaneously, the head of the Ministry of Health's Center for Disease Management stated that influenza has been prevalent for six weeks and constitutes two-thirds of hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases in healthcare facilities. Increase in Pediatric Hospitalizations in America In the U.S., the circulation of respiratory viruses, especially in the southern and western parts of the country, is high. Although COVID-19 is the overwhelming cause of hospitalizations with respiratory viruses in the U.S., RSV is the most common illness among children, and the weekly hospitalization rate has increased by 69 percent since the first week of October. Dr. Mandy Cohen, head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explained to a congressional subcommittee regarding respiratory disease cases in the U.S. that more than one-third of adults and children have received the influenza vaccine this year, but only about 16 percent of adults and 6 percent of children have received the new COVID-19 vaccine. Pope Francis was hospitalized due to a respiratory infection.