Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that on January 2, 2025, a number of foreign electronic news sites reported on an outbreak of disease in China with many cases of pneumonia caused by a virus in humans and stated that the disease spread rapidly with symptoms similar to the flu, COVID-19, and at the same time, there were concerns about another health crisis after COVID-19. In addition, many images of overloaded hospitals in China due to cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection and information about the declaration of a state of emergency or overloaded crematoriums were also shared on social networking sites.
Immediately after receiving the above information, the Department of Preventive Medicine contacted the World Health Organization (in Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific region) and the unit implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR) of China (Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention).
Up to now, the World Health Organization has not had any official information about the epidemic situation in China, and the reliability and authenticity of the information on the above-mentioned media channels and social networks have not been verified.
According to the report on the results of the surveillance of acute respiratory infectious diseases in week 52 of 2024 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the main pathogens found in the specimens collected from outpatient departments and emergency departments of hospitals were influenza virus, HMPV and rhinovirus; the main pathogens found in specimens of severe acute respiratory infections requiring hospitalization were influenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and HMPV.
In China, it is currently the winter season, and respiratory diseases tend to increase during this time, including the main agents being seasonal influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus in children (RSV), and HMPV.
According to the report on the results of the key surveillance of acute respiratory infectious diseases in week 52 of 2024 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases of respiratory diseases with flu-like symptoms was lower than the same period last year.
On January 4, 2025, the Chinese Foreign Ministry informed that the respiratory infection spreading in the country is a routine disease, not an unusual medical event, and that respiratory infections usually peak at this time of year in the country.
Based on information recorded from the event-based surveillance system, the Department of Preventive Medicine has proactively monitored and supervised information on the development of respiratory infectious diseases in China.
The Department of Preventive Medicine will continue to closely monitor the developments of the epidemic situation; closely coordinate with WHO, the Chinese IHR implementation unit to update information and proactively provide and share complete and accurate information, not to cause panic or anxiety, but at the same time not to be subjective or negligent in the face of developments of the epidemic situation, especially in the current winter-spring period with favorable weather conditions for respiratory pathogens to spread.
