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When Secrecy Kills; Despite SARS, China is still withholding information on potential epidemics.
posted Tuesday, 1 February 2005
In the face of the lessons learned from during the SARS outbreak, and pledges of increased transparency made afterward, it has been revealed that Beijing is still withholding important information on potential epidemics from the outside world, and from its own health officials.
After rumors began to spread of a potential new winter epidemic, it has now been confirmed that several regions of China are experiencing a serious and wide spread outbreak of the potentially fatal bacteriological infection Cerebrospinal Meningitis.
Though officials have been aware for several weeks that the number of Meningitis cases, and the number of fatalities, had increased sharply over normal winter figures, health officials have only just begun to inform regional medical authorities of the existence of a potential epidemic.
215 cases of meningitis were reported in December and another 258 during January, with 16 deaths reported in the last two month. Substantially more at this time during in previous years.
"[The outbreak] seems to be serious because of the number of fatalities".
Dr Chow, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Hong Kong
However, a level of skepticism exists over official figures, because mistrust engendered by Beijing’s initial concealment of SARS, as well as concerns over the ability for rural medical centers to properly diagnose Meningitis.
"We want to know whether this has been endemic for some time and whether this is a new strain, because a special vaccination is available for meningococcal infection,"
Dr Chow
It has also been confirmed that officials in Hong Kong were not informed of the outbreak despite the role that the regions airports played in the spread of SARS among business travelers..
"There are cases now in China, but we are trying to get more information and an idea of how extensive the problem is,"
Spokesperson, Hong Kong Department of Health
It is thought that most infections and deaths were caused by the C strain of Meningitis, which carries a greater risk of contagion than the A and B strains, along with an elevated risk of fatality.
Jiangsu and Anhui province are reportedly the hardest hit by the outbreak, but number of cases remains manageable. So far there have been no reported cases in Fujian, Hainan, or Tibet, but most other regions have reported cases.
Meningitis is usually spread by close contact and the majority of those infected were students aged 13 to 18.
Officials from the World Health Organization are have said that they are currently seeking information on the outbreak and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a Meningitis specialist had been dispatched to Guangdong Province to gather information and render assistance.
Experts are also concerned because February marks the turn of the Chinese Lunar New Year, known as Spring Festival in China, an occasion during which time a significant proportion of China’s population return home to celebrate with their families. During this time many people make long haul trips of 10 or more hours, often making journeys covering hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of miles in night trains and busses where poor ventilation, crowded conditions, and limited sanitation, create the condition where diseases can easily be transmitted or contracted.
Despite its reputation, Meningitis is less infections that SARS and most cases are treatable. There is also no indication that any of the outbreaks are out of control or that they provide unusual risk to the population
After rumors began to spread of a potential new winter epidemic, it has now been confirmed that several regions of China are experiencing a serious and wide spread outbreak of the potentially fatal bacteriological infection Cerebrospinal Meningitis.
Though officials have been aware for several weeks that the number of Meningitis cases, and the number of fatalities, had increased sharply over normal winter figures, health officials have only just begun to inform regional medical authorities of the existence of a potential epidemic.
215 cases of meningitis were reported in December and another 258 during January, with 16 deaths reported in the last two month. Substantially more at this time during in previous years.
"[The outbreak] seems to be serious because of the number of fatalities".
Dr Chow, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Hong Kong
However, a level of skepticism exists over official figures, because mistrust engendered by Beijing’s initial concealment of SARS, as well as concerns over the ability for rural medical centers to properly diagnose Meningitis.
"We want to know whether this has been endemic for some time and whether this is a new strain, because a special vaccination is available for meningococcal infection,"
Dr Chow
It has also been confirmed that officials in Hong Kong were not informed of the outbreak despite the role that the regions airports played in the spread of SARS among business travelers..
"There are cases now in China, but we are trying to get more information and an idea of how extensive the problem is,"
Spokesperson, Hong Kong Department of Health
It is thought that most infections and deaths were caused by the C strain of Meningitis, which carries a greater risk of contagion than the A and B strains, along with an elevated risk of fatality.
Jiangsu and Anhui province are reportedly the hardest hit by the outbreak, but number of cases remains manageable. So far there have been no reported cases in Fujian, Hainan, or Tibet, but most other regions have reported cases.
Meningitis is usually spread by close contact and the majority of those infected were students aged 13 to 18.
Officials from the World Health Organization are have said that they are currently seeking information on the outbreak and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a Meningitis specialist had been dispatched to Guangdong Province to gather information and render assistance.
Experts are also concerned because February marks the turn of the Chinese Lunar New Year, known as Spring Festival in China, an occasion during which time a significant proportion of China’s population return home to celebrate with their families. During this time many people make long haul trips of 10 or more hours, often making journeys covering hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of miles in night trains and busses where poor ventilation, crowded conditions, and limited sanitation, create the condition where diseases can easily be transmitted or contracted.
Despite its reputation, Meningitis is less infections that SARS and most cases are treatable. There is also no indication that any of the outbreaks are out of control or that they provide unusual risk to the population
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