As the world is just learning about the mystery illness in China and fearing a global spread, Ohio has become the first US state to report the illness now dubbed “White Lung Syndrome.”
New York was incorrectly cited as the source of the outbreak, in the first reports. During the preparation of that article, we discovered it was actually Ohio. As of now, there have been no reports of “White Lung Syndrome” in New York.
The Warren County Health Department rang the warning bells on Thursday citing 142 cases of the “White Lung Syndrome.” These cases meet the Ohio Department of Health’s definition of an outbreak. Warren County is just 30 miles outside of Cincinnati.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that nationally, cases are not out of the ordinary, but the spread of cases has raised fears that an outbreak can overwhelm American hospitals.
CDC officials continue to report that an investigation is ‘ongoing’ and the illness does not look like a new disease, but rather several common infections hitting all at once. They say that the rate of infection is more concerning than the illness. However, they simultaneously report that antibiotics are not effective.
According to the news outlets, patients have tested positive for mycoplasma pneumonia, a bacterial lung infection that is mostly resistant to antibiotics, strep, and normally benign infection, adenovirus.
The ages of the patients range from 8 to 3, and there are several theories as to why children are more susceptible to the illness. Some suggest it is caused by lockdowns that have weakened the immune system or mask-wearing and school closures leaving children vulnerable during seasonal illnesses.
The Warren County Health District officials believe the pneumonia cases are a large uptick of cases normally seen at one time rather than a new respiratory disease. Requests were made to the Ohio Department of Health about several unreported deaths. They have not issued a response as of this time.
Officials also want to remind the public to take necessary precautions to protect their health, as many of us will be gathering with friends and family during the holiday season.
Doctors say the most common symptoms are very similar to pneumonia with the exception of a prevalent cough. This makes specialists question the validity of claims of pneumonia.
Shortly after Ohio officially declared “White Lung Syndrome”, Massachusetts also declared an outbreak.
Before today’s stark developments, the illness was reported in Europe, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Denmark and the Netherlands. That makes the transmission, or spread rate, much more accelerated than the pandemic of 4 years ago.