After China is currently seeing an “unusual increase in cases of respiratory infections” with the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae in France, French health authorities warned on Wednesday in an urgent letter to health professionals.
• Also read: China: What do we know about the increase in respiratory diseases?
• Also read: WHO is concerned about the increase in respiratory diseases in China
The vast majority of infections are mild and resolve spontaneously, but in some cases hospitalization may be necessary, says this letter from the Director General of Health (DGS), who is in particular responsible for health surveillance and security at the Ministry of Health.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern about a rise in cases of respiratory diseases in China, asked Chinese authorities for more detailed information and urged the population to better protect themselves.
“I had the deputy director general of the WHO, we take stock every day,” Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau said on Franceinfo on Wednesday when asked about the issue.
“The Chinese authorities are inevitably uncertain about what is emerging today and are aware of the increase in pneumonia cases linked to a bacterium called mycoplasma.” We know it well (…), it is not a virus “, he added.
“Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a so-called atypical bacterium that is responsible for respiratory tract infections and occurs very frequently in children over 4 years of age and young adults,” specifies the DGS.
“It is a bacterium that responds very well to certain antibiotics, we have them in the territory,” noted Aurélien Rousseau.
“We have had these products in stock for six months, but today, as in all European countries, we are seeing an increase in these bacteria,” he added.
The Ministry of Health ensures that the French Public Health Agency (SpF) continues its analyzes at national level to clarify the characteristics and current dynamics of the epidemic.
In addition, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) “ensures increased monitoring of the consumption of antibiotics used in winter as part of the fight against drug shortages”.
At the beginning of November, the ministry asked pharmaceutical companies and pharmacists to make several commitments to address shortages of certain drugs, a problem that was particularly exacerbated last winter.