China reports no new infectious diseases caused by new viruses or bacteria

The current acute respiratory diseases reported in China are all caused by known pathogens, and no new infectious diseases caused by new viruses or bacteria have been identified, a health official said Saturday, citing monitoring results.

Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission (NHC), made the remarks during a press conference.

Chinese health authorities are actively monitoring and assessing winter respiratory diseases, with efforts underway to optimize medical resource allocation, improve medical treatment processes, and enhance the role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), he said.

The official said China will increase the supply of medical services, particularly pediatric outpatient services, at all levels of medical institutions, including TCM hospitals and maternal and child health institutions, to meet people's needs.

This expansion will involve extending outpatient service hours during lunchtime, evenings, and weekends based on patient numbers, as well as increasing hospital bed capacity and streamlining registration, examination, and payment processes to improve public access to medical care.

Additionally, the maternal and child health institutions were urged to deploy or re-employ qualified personnel from internal medicine and other departments to better serve children with respiratory illnesses, according to a circular issued by the NHC on Thursday.

Mi also emphasized the guarantee of medical supplies.

The utilization of TCM and the integration of Chinese and Western medicine approaches are being advocated to enhance the prevention and treatment of common winter respiratory diseases, he said.

Measures are also being taken to ensure the supply of influenza and other vaccines, with a focus on early vaccination for key groups such as the elderly and children to reduce the risk of illness, according to the official. 

TCM's unique advantages

The TCM has unique advantages in responding to pediatric respiratory infections, according to Wu Liqun, director of pediatrics at the Dongfang Hospital Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, one of the country's top-notch hospitals.

Doctors will use corresponding treatment methods in accordance with children's ages and conditions, as some of them may suffer from spleen and stomach dysfunction, Wu added.

The TCM can not only help shorten the duration of high fever but also prevent the disease from progressing to severe or critical illness, said Liu Qingquan, director at the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In the intervention process for severe pneumonia patients, TCM can improve the cure rate, decrease the length of hospital stay and mechanical ventilation time and greatly reduce the incidence of sequelae, Liu added.

China has been promoting the use of TCM in children's health protection, said Xing Chao, an official at the National Administration of TCM, when briefing reporters on the distribution of pediatric medical resources across the country.

China has established 37 national key specialties under TCM pediatrics and designated 10 regional TCM diagnosis and treatment centers for pediatric patients, according to Xing.

Currently, 93 percent of the tertiary hospitals specialize in TCM, and 73 percent of the secondary ones have set up pediatric departments, he added.

"We have guided hospitals to study and formulate TCM prevention and treatment programs for respiratory diseases in light of local climate and regional characteristics," Xing said.

(With input from Xinhua)