AIIMS Delhi Pneumonia Cases Clarification

New Delhi: Responding to certain media reports that AIIMS Delhi is encountering a surge in Pneumonia cases that are linked to the cases in China, the government has issued a release stating that media reports claiming detection of bacterial cases in AIIMS Delhi linked to the recent surge in Pneumonia cases in China are misleading and inaccurate.

"A recent media report in a national daily has claimed that AIIMS Delhi has detected seven bacterial cases linked to the recent surge in Pneumonia cases in China. The news report is ill-informed and provides misleading information," the release said.

It is clarified that these seven cases have no link whatsoever to the recent surge in respiratory infections in children reported from some parts of the world, including China. The seven cases have been detected as a part of an ongoing study at AIIMS Delhi in the six-month period (April to September 2023) and is no cause for worry.

Also Read: Indian government directs states to be on Alert as Pneumonia cases in Children rise in China

Since January 2023 till date, NO Mycoplasma pneumonia was detected in the 611 samples tested at the Department of Microbiology, AIIMS Delhi as a part of ICMR's multiple respiratory pathogen surveillance, which included mainly severe acute respiratory illness (SARI, which comprised about 95% of these cases) by real-time PCR.

Mycoplasma pneumonia is the commonest bacterial cause of community-acquired pneumonia. It is the reason for nearly 15-30% of all such infections. Such surge has not been reported from any part of India.

The Union Health Ministry is in touch with state health authorities and is keeping a close watch on the situation on an everyday basis.

Also Read: AIIMS doctor clarifies respiratory illness in China due to common viruses