China Intensifies Monitoring of Emerging Respiratory Diseases

 BEIJING, Dec 27 (Reuters) - China's disease control authority announced on Friday that it is piloting a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin, anticipating an increase in cases of certain respiratory diseases this winter. This initiative aims to help authorities establish protocols for addressing unknown pathogens, marking a shift from the lower level of preparedness seen five years ago when the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 first emerged.

The National Disease Control and Prevention Administration will implement a reporting procedure for laboratories and establish verification and response protocols for disease control and prevention agencies, according to a state broadcaster CCTV report citing an administration official at a news conference. Official data indicated a rising trend in overall infections for acute respiratory diseases during the week of December 16 to 22, as stated in a report released on Thursday.

China is expected to face various respiratory infectious diseases during the winter and spring, according to Kan Biao, another official speaking at the news conference. He noted, without providing specifics, that the total number of cases this year is likely to be lower than last year. Recent detections include pathogens like rhinovirus and human metapneumovirus, with a noticeable increase in cases of human metapneumovirus among individuals under 14, particularly in northern provinces.

In a recent interview with the state-backed National Business Daily, a respiratory expert from a Shanghai hospital cautioned the public against the indiscriminate use of antiviral drugs to combat human metapneumovirus. He noted that there is currently no vaccine for this virus, and its symptoms are similar to those of a common cold.