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Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday that the ongoing situation of the pneumonia outbreak in China is being keenly observed by the health institutions in India and all appropriate actions are being taken.
Speaking to media, Mansukh Mandaviya said, "The government is continuously paying attention to the situation of pneumonia spreading within China. ICMR and the Director General of Health Services are keeping an eye on it and taking necessary action". Notably, Media and ProMED reported on November 21 clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. Commenting on the same, Dr Ajay Shukla of RML Hospital informed that till now, there has not been much impact on India due to the same. "There are reports in the media that there has been a surge in respiratory problems among small children in China. WHO is concerned about this and is trying to seek details from the Government of China about it. Some experts are saying that this might be the case of a bacterial infection named Mycoplasma pneumonia. We cannot say much unless details are received. This might be a repercussion due to a weakness in immunity because of lockdown. Unless details are received, we cannot say anything. The whole world is observing this situation with seriousness. Till now, there has not been much impact on India. If anything is reported in India, we will have to take precautions," said Dr Shukla while speaking to ANI. It is pertinent to note that hospitals in Beijing and northern China are grappling with a rise in respiratory illnesses among children as the country enters its first winter after easing stringent COVID-19 restrictions nearly a year ago, CNN reported. Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission, at a press conference on November 13, reported an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in China. An official at the Beijing Children's Hospital on Tuesday said that the current average of more than 7,000 daily patients "far exceeds the hospital's capacity," CNN reported, citing state media. On Saturday, the largest paediatric hospital in nearby Tianjin broke a record as more than 13,000 children came to outpatient and emergency departments, CNN cited a local state-run outlet. (ANI)
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