Infection Rates in Hong Kong Rise Amid China Epidemic

Children and their parents wait at an outpatient area at a children hospital in Beijing on Nov. 23, 2023. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images

The ongoing epidemic of respiratory illnesses in China, which has been continuous since its onset several years ago, is currently having an increasing impact on Hong Kong. The resurgence of COVID-19, alongside other pneumonia-inducing pathogens, has led to a surge in infection cases.

On Dec. 9, the Centre for Health Protection reported two critical cases involving children co-infected with the COVID-19 and H1N1 influenza viruses, both of whom are now receiving emergency care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Critical Pediatric Cases Emerge, Highlight Growing Concern

One of the critical patients is an 8-month-old girl who tested positive for COVID-19. Symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose, appetite loss, and breathing difficulties emerged on Dec. 5. Following a nasopharyngeal swab test confirmation, she was admitted to the ICU for urgent treatment and remains in critical condition.

Additionally, a 7-year-old boy has been diagnosed with the H1N1 influenza virus. His symptoms, which began on Dec. 2, encompassed fever, chills, fatigue, muscle pain, runny nose, sore throat, and a phlegm-laden cough, culminating in breathing difficulties. Subsequent tests confirmed the H1N1 influenza (H3) virus, and he was diagnosed with pneumonia as a complication. He is currently being treated in the pediatric ICU.

The Hospital Authority has noted a heightened transmissibility of both the COVID-19 and influenza viruses this winter. Patients co-infected with these viruses are at a higher risk of severe complications and, in some cases, death. The authority is strongly advocating for residents in Hong Kong to get vaccinated.

The predominant COVID-19 strain in Hong Kong is currently the Omicron XBB lineage. The Department of Health’s latest “2019 Coronavirus Disease and Influenza Express” report (pdf) indicates that the XBB lineage and its derivatives represent approximately 90 percent of all analyzed samples. To combat this, Hong Kong has procured around 100,000 doses of the COVID-19 XBB booster vaccine.

Surge in COVID-19 and Other Viral Infections in Hong Kong

In November, a significant cluster of COVID-19 infections emerged in a Hong Kong hospital ward. The Hospital Authority’s website reported on Nov. 27 that, since Nov. 23, 14 patients in a male psychiatric ward at Kowloon Hospital had developed fever or respiratory symptoms and were subsequently confirmed to have COVID-19.

By Dec. 8, following extensive tracing efforts, it was confirmed that an additional five male patients in the same ward were also infected with COVID-19. One of these patients had been discharged, while the remaining four were in stable condition, receiving isolated treatment in the hospital.

Hong Kong is also experiencing an increase in infections from various pathogens such as Mycoplasma pneumonia, influenza, rhinovirus, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Media reports indicated that in August, some children who had traveled to China with their parents contracted Mycoplasma pneumonia.

Professor Xu Shuchang from The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Department of Respiratory System Science noted a significant increase in Mycoplasma pneumonia cases in Hong Kong since August, from about 50 cases to 170 by November.

Most patients present with respiratory symptoms, including fever and sore throat. Approximately 5 to 10 percent have developed pneumonia, predominantly affecting individuals under 40. High-risk individuals and those with immune issues have experienced severe complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, renal impairment, and hemolytic anemia.

Concerns Over Health Care Capacity and Antibiotic Resistance

The Hospital Authority also highlighted the high occupancy rate of pediatric beds, attributed mainly to respiratory infections. On average, over 200 patients are admitted daily, with some presenting multiple viral infections.

Concerns about a major community outbreak are growing. Associate Clinical Professor Ye Baiqiang from the University of Hong Kong, in a radio interview, expressed concern over the increased severity of Mycoplasma pneumonia cases this year, which previously were mild enough for patients to remain active in the community. The increase in severe cases requiring over a week’s hospitalization is worrying, with a higher rate of hospitalization among children.

Professor Ye Baiqiang explained that Mycoplasma pneumonia typically causes acute respiratory infections, with the majority being upper respiratory infections. However, a minority develop severe lower respiratory complications, including pneumonia and pleural effusion, with children at risk of meningitis.

A particular concern this year is the rise in antibiotic-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia, constituting 60 to 70 percent of cases. This resistance necessitates stronger antibiotics for effective treatment, but overuse could further exacerbate resistance issues.

Looking ahead, Mr. Ye predicts a more severe viral epidemic in Hong Kong, including the new XBB COVID-19 variant, in the upcoming months. He anticipates the XBB variant’s resurgence by the end of December and in January. Given that Hong Kong has not yet reached the peak flu season, the strain on both public and private hospital wards is alarming. The anticipated convergence of the peak flu season with a new COVID-19 outbreak could lead to extreme overcrowding in medical facilities.

Escalating Pneumonia Outbreak in China Affects Children

Since August, China has been grappling with a significant outbreak of pneumonia in children, which intensified in September. Originating in the northern regions of Heilongjiang, Shenyang, and Dalian, the epidemic swiftly spread to major cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and provinces like Anhui, Henan, Jiangsu, and Fujian. Notably, it has also affected areas with frequent interactions with Hong Kong, such as Dongguan and Shenzhen.

Hospitals, ranging from large institutions to small clinics, are overwhelmed with patients, leading to the suspension of classes in some schools. Alarmingly, there is an increase in the number of deaths and severe cases involving “white lung” in patients with COVID-19 who have underlying health conditions.

In Dongguan, Guangdong, a substantial number of children have been diagnosed with pneumonia. On Nov. 24, a primary school in Wanjiang, Dongguan, reported that a third of the students in a first-grade class exhibited fever and discomfort. Adhering to the guidelines of the Wanjiang Center for Disease Control, the school suspended classes for four days.

Ms. Cheng, a resident of Nanyang, Henan, informed Epoch Times reporters on Dec. 11 about the infection of two children in her relative’s family. The children, attending Nanyang Health School, were diagnosed with COVID-19 at a hospital. Despite doctors’ recommendations for hospitalization, the family declined.

In a separate account, Zhao Xing (a pseudonym) from Shenyang relayed to The Epoch Times on Dec. 10 that his aunt’s clinic has been inundated with patients for the past two months, many requiring intravenous treatments. His uncle, a cancer patient, contracted the virus in early October and displayed severe symptoms including fever, cough, chills, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and loss of appetite, which rapidly worsened his condition and led to his death.

Mr. Zhao described the symptoms as being consistent with COVID-19, and more distressing than previous instances of the disease.

Additionally, Liu Ming (a pseudonym), a taxi driver from Wuhu, Anhui, told NTD about a local elementary school that detected three cases of “white lung,” prompting the suspension of classes. According to Mr. Liu, many individuals in schools and hospitals, including his own, have contracted “white lung.” While there have been fatalities, the exact numbers are being censored in China.

Censorship and Misinformation Amidst Rising Epidemic in China

Over the past three months, the severity of the epidemic in China has escalated, but due to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) policy of information suppression and censorship, the true extent of the situation remains unclear to the outside world.

Recently, Mr. Li, a resident of Zhengzhou, Henan, shared with The Epoch Times his concerns about the situation at his daughter’s boarding school. According to him, his daughter came home for the weekend and reported that half of her classmates were infected, with persistent coughing in the classrooms.

Mr. Li expressed frustration, stating: “The school doesn’t acknowledge it as COVID-19, but rather as Mycoplasma pneumonia. It’s all concealment and deception from the government at all levels.”

Initially, the authorities attributed the outbreak to Mycoplasma pneumonia. However, skepticism arose due to the unusually severe symptoms, strong contagion, difficulty in treatment, and high drug resistance observed this year, leading to suspicions that it might actually be COVID-19.

Western media have since referred to the respiratory infection spreading in China as a “mysterious viral respiratory illness.”

Wang Feng (pseudonym) from Baoji, Shaanxi, told The Epoch Times that many people in his area, including himself and his family, were experiencing symptoms akin to COVID-19, such as fever, chills, and body aches, which left them bedridden for days.

He mentioned, “Our local doctors say it’s COVID-19, just under a different name. Hospitals and clinics are full of patients, and some staff are even wearing protective suits, reminiscent of the pandemic three years ago.”

Epoch Times contributor Sean Lin, a former U.S. Army microbiologist, said that despite official narratives, COVID-19 has never truly been eradicated in China. The CCP, he suggests, is avoiding direct mention of COVID-19, instead using terms like “H1N1 influenza” or “Mycoplasma pneumonia.”

Mr. Lin argued that Mycoplasma pneumonia typically does not lead to lung infections or “white lung” and is usually controllable with targeted antibiotics. This leads him to believe that the current epidemic might involve a COVID-19 variant or a combination of multiple viruses and bacteria.

Tang Jingyuan, a China expert, commented to The Epoch Times on the CCP’s pandemic response strategy, highlighting a shift from initial city lockdowns and zero-COVID policy to a current phase of not acknowledging the COVID-19 epidemic at all. This approach, he believes, demonstrates a politicized handling of the pandemic, prioritizing political objectives over public health considerations.