Public Skepticism Grows in China as Child Pneumonia Surge Fuels COVID-19 Speculation

Published on November 30, 2023

As a mysterious wave of child pneumonia surges through China and spreads to adults, various explanations for the outbreak from state health authorities can’t quell suspicions among the public that it’s COVID-19 caused by mutated viral strains. Initially, the authorities denied any “unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations” in response to the World Health Organization’s official request for data regarding the child pneumonia outbreak. But more recently, the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) National Health Commission warned late last week that the spread of several known respiratory pathogens could converge into a major outbreak between now and next spring....