Europe: Increase in Child Pneumonia Cases Amid China Outbreak

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Facts

  • An outbreak of infections that were first noted in China has grown into an uptick of pneumonia cases in children across Europe, with at least six European countries having reportedly seen an increase in cases.1
  • China — facing its first winter since COVID restrictions were lifted — has attributed the increase to known pathogens, ruling out a novel virus and reporting that the cause is a combination of illnesses, including influenza, rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, and pneumonia bacteria.2
  • While the Netherlands is reporting a sharp uptick in cases, Ireland, France, and Denmark have also shown a significant increase in illnesses. The cases have been linked to the mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria commonly referred to as “walking pneumonia.” India, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, and other Asian countries have been advised to increase surveillance for the illness.3
  • In the Netherlands, the outbreak is being reported as the nation's largest pneumonia outbreak in recent years. In 2022, during influenza season, data showed 60 pneumonia cases occurring in every 100K children. Currently, the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research is reporting 80 cases in every 100K children aged 5-14.4
  • According to an analysis of 24 countries, the 'most frequent detections' of the infection from April to September were found in Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Wales. Meanwhile, France and Denmark recently classified the rise as an 'epidemic' — which Danish authorities say usually occurs approximately every four years.1
  • In addition to the uptick in cases in Europe and China, the US is also experiencing an increase in pediatric pneumonia cases. As of Wednesday, Ohio has reported 145 cases in children between the ages of three and 14. Health officials believe the outbreaks aren't related.5

Sources: 1Euronews, 2Independent (a), 3The Telegraph, 4The Messenger and 5Independent (b).

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by BMJ Global Health. While the world responded to the COVID outbreak, the surveillance of many other respiratory illnesses already on the map — including influenza and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus — was neglected, allowing the conditions for these recent outbreaks. To combat the spread of these illnesses and to prevent them from becoming epidemic or pandemic, public health agencies worldwide must further integrate surveillance technologies or else risk being left dangerously unprepared, yet again.
  • Narrative B, as provided by ECDC. While public health certainly learned a hard lesson during the pandemic, many nations have used those failures to advance their health-response capabilities. A joint effort between the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization developed and deployed a platform for countries to use in their transition from unsustainable mass testing practices to a multi-virus integrated surveillance approach. Through this effort, Europe is already more prepared for not only COVID but other life-threatening pathogens.

Predictions