A mysterious respiratory illness has broken out in China, sending millions of children to hospitals with pneumonia-like symptoms. China has claimed that the disease is the circulation of already known pathogens such as RSV (A common airborne virus). The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested more detailed information from China, and said it was unclear whether this is from an overall increase in respiratory disease previously reported, or from a separate event. The hospitalized patients do not cough and show no symptoms other than a high temperature.

“I think it would be really hard to create a treatment for an asymptomatic disease,” said Jasmine Prieto, a junior at Lower Dauphin High School. It certainly would be difficult to rid the population of a disease when there are no visible symptoms.

“Sounds pretty messed up. My heart goes out to those poor children,” says Damon Smith, age 12. 

This is undoubtedly bringing back flashbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic for many. Hopefully this disease does not spread beyond where it is already affecting people.