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A viral social media post featuring a photo of a crowded hospital in China has sparked concerns about a potential health crisis. The post, which shows patients and hospital beds filling hallways, claims that China has declared a state of emergency due to multiple respiratory virus outbreaks.
According to the post’s caption, four viral infections – Influenza A, Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19 – are spreading throughout the country. The message also suggests that hospitals in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, are operating at full capacity.
🚨🇨🇳#BREAKING | NEWS ⚠️
China has issued A STATE OF EMERGENCY All hospitals are overflowing with patients young and old over 300 deaths so far in two days.crematoriums can’t keep up. There are multiple viruses at play. Doctors are saying this is worse than it was during Covid… pic.twitter.com/sCGqixZCRQ
— Todd Paron🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) January 2, 2025
However, the viral post’s claims require correction. The photograph in question was actually taken at Zhongshan Hospital in Shanghai and was originally published by Reuters in January 2023, nearly a year before the current outbreak.
While the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has acknowledged the presence of certain respiratory viruses, they have not declared a state of emergency as suggested in the social media post. Their official report, when translated from Chinese, indicates that sentinel hospitals have detected various pathogens in respiratory samples from outpatient cases with flu-like symptoms. The main culprits identified were influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, and rhinovirus, while samples from hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infections showed presence of influenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and human metapneumovirus.
China is reportedly experiencing a new virulent illness that has overwhelmed some hospitals, with video showing crowded waiting rooms in adult and pediatric units. https://t.co/7COjA5xUud
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 4, 2025
This incident adds to a growing list of cases where photos have been shared online with misleading captions, contributing to the spread of misinformation about public health situations.
