Concern is growing about increase in pediatric pneumonia cases in southwestern Ohio and Massachusetts. Medical personnel reported that since August 2023, 150 cases have been reported and that some of them have required hospitalization of children.
Experts are investigating whether this outbreak has any connection to China, although, so far, there is no evidence that this is the case. According to doctors, it is recommended that parents keep their minors’ vaccinations up to date.
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Health authorities ask guardians to teach children to have good hygiene habits. The alert about cases of pediatric pneumonia began to resonate after the Warren County Health District reported in a release that several cases have been recorded.
According to the information provided, 145 cases have been reported in about six months and the average patient is around 8 years old. According to the Health District, the most common symptoms in those affected have been cough, fever and fatigue.
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In the statement, the health authorities indicated that, for the moment, no deaths have been reported and the illnesses are not more serious than in previous years.
Although it has not been determined whether what is happening in China has a direct impact on the cases that have occurred in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with health authorities Chinese to fully understand the situation.
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CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen stated that mycoplasma pneumonia is not an unknown or novel pathogen as this disease has affected children in other nations in Europe and Asia.
Denmark and China are battling mycoplasma pneumonia and the rise of various respiratory illnesses, prompting Taiwan’s health ministry to warn at-risk groups against traveling to mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau.
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The Warren County Health District said it was on alert, highlighting the lack of evidence connecting the Ohio outbreak to other state, national or international outbreaks.
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What is mycoplasma pneumonia?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mycoplasma pneumonia is caused by bacteria that can spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The bacteria can stay in the nose and throat without making a person sick, but they can develop pneumonia if it spreads to the lungs.
Mycoplasma pneumonia It is usually a milder form of pneumonia, but its symptoms may last longer. Cases tend to peak every three to seven years in the US.
The WHO cited an increase in hospitalizations of children suffering from mycoplasma pneumonia in China. Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Singapore have reported similar increases.
(With information from NBC News)
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