Respiratory Infections in China and South Korea Raise Questions About True Nature of Outbreak

Parents and guardians with their children waiting at a Chinese hospital outpatient department on Oct. 19, 2023. Video Screen Shot by The Epoch Times

Recent reports from official Chinese media have highlighted a rapid spread of respiratory infections, initially identified as mycoplasma pneumonia, particularly affecting children across various regions of China.

Alarmingly, signs of a similar outbreak have emerged in South Korea, intensifying public concern.

However, a Chinese doctor has revealed this surge in infections is a variant of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) rather than mycoplasma pneumonia, a perspective shared by some experts.

According to an announcement made on Nov. 11 by the Korean Disease Management Agency, the number of patients hospitalized for mycoplasma pneumonia from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4 tripled compared to the same period last year, reaching 168 cases.

Just before this, a 9-year-old boy died during his hospitalization in Seoul due to this illness last month, exhibiting complications such as bronchitis and co-infections of COVID-19 and adenovirus during his hospitalization.

On Nov. 8, the Korean Pediatric Hospital Association warned of the impending outbreak of mycoplasma pneumonia among children aged 5 to 9 in China, urging the prompt formulation of preliminary treatment strategies in South Korea.

China Sees Surge in Cases

Recent observations reveal a surge in cases labeled as mycoplasma pneumonia” in China. Pediatric departments in hospitals across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions have been operating at full capacity, with overwhelming numbers of cases.

The Beijing Disease Control Center reported a daily influx of 3,500 to 3,600 respiratory infection cases in children at Beijing Children’s Hospital on Nov. 2. Concerned parents have reported crowded facilities, long queues, and extended waiting times of up to seven or eight hours for treatment.

Similar conditions were reported in Henan by People’s Daily on Nov. 4, where Dr. Zhou Rongyi, Deputy Chief Physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, noted saturation in pediatric outpatient visits, reaching nearly 20,000 weekly and close to 3,000 daily.

Dr. Yu Huiju, an infectious disease specialist at Xinhua Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, expressed her astonishment at encountering such a high volume of mycoplasma pneumonia cases in her over 30 years of practice.

The majority of her patients are under 10 years old. Among children receiving inpatient treatment, many progress to severe pneumonia even after medication, with some developing “white lungs,” a term describing a more extensive inflammation in the lungs, often leading to hypoxemia or respiratory distress. According to hospital regulations, patients with “white lungs” will be sent to the emergency room for further treatment.

While mycoplasma pneumonia typically causes mild upper respiratory symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, and headache, only 5 to 10 percent of patients may develop atypical pneumonia. Most infections resolve without the need for antibiotics.

Doubts Over Diagnosis

Despite Chinese officials attributing the outbreak to a high-incidence period of mycoplasma pneumonia, some healthcare professionals, including Dr. Wang Ye (anonym), a pediatrician in Beijing, cast doubt on this explanation.

Dr. Wang—who was also diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia—told The Epoch Times that there is no effective medication for this wave of infections.

“I’ve taken all the medications that can treat mycoplasma pneumonia, but none have been effective. So, I suspect this is not mycoplasma pneumonia,” Dr. Wang said.

Mrs. Li has also raised concerns from Jilin City, who told New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD TV) that both of her children developed “white lungs.”

According to a doctor, this could be a variant of the novel coronavirus, undetectable by nucleic acid tests, though the Chinese regime restricts the disclosure of such information.

American virologist Lin Xiaoxu suggested to The Epoch Times that COVID-19 may still be prevalent in China, with authorities potentially using terms like “H1N1” or “mycoplasma pneumonia” to mask its continued existence.

Mr. Lin believes mycoplasma pneumonia is an unlikely cause of severe lung infections, such as “white lungs,” and suspects a variant of the new coronavirus or a potential comprehensive attack by two or more viruses and bacteria.