Posts claiming that China declared a state of emergency following a surge in respiratory illnesses have circulated on Facebook (FB). This is false. No declaration was issued by either Chinese or global health authorities.
Uploaded as early as Jan. 2, the posts read:
“China declared a state of emergency following an overwhelming surge in respiratory illnesses, including Influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19.”
An FB user asked VERA Files Fact Check to verify this claim. (Send us posts to fact-check on our Messenger tip line!)
While recent reports say there is an increase in respiratory illnesses in China, the country or parts of it have not been placed under a state of emergency.
In a Dec. 27 news conference, Kan Biao, director of China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, said cases of influenza, rhinovirus, human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and mycoplasma pneumonia “were relatively high.”
The diseases were commonly detected in children aged 14 and below, he added, while attributing the surge to the winter season where respiratory infections tend to peak.
Biao also noted that COVID-19 cases are at a low level.
For its part, the World Health Organization allayed fears that there is an emerging new epidemic. Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokesperson of the global health body, said the rising respiratory infections in China are not a cause for alarm. She added:
“As expected for this time of year, the Northern Hemisphere winter, there is a month-over-month increase of acute respiratory infections, including seasonal influenza, R.S.V. and human metapneumovirus,”
Source: The New York Times, “What We Know About HMPV, the Virus Spreading in China,” Jan. 7, 2025
The Philippines’ Department of Health also dismissed allegations of an emerging international health concern while the Chinese Embassy in Manila denied the rumors, calling it “fake news.”
The untrue posts emerged after China’s CDC announced it is piloting a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin to improve its disease prevention protocols compared to when COVID-19 first emerged five years ago.
Uploaded by Facebook pages Taga Ilaja Vlogs, Homeszilla, Mga Kwentong Pambata Tagalog, Chikitings Squad彡, Unofficial: Support and CEBU KNOWS, the posts collectively garnered 4,577 reactions, 6,229 shares and 1,385 comments.
