Ohio Becomes First U.S. State to Report Outbreak of ‘White Lung Syndrome’

From a Brightgram Article on November 30, 2023

Takeaways:

• Ohio has become the first state in the U.S. to report an outbreak of a strain of pneumonia known as ‘white lung syndrome,’ with a particularly high number of children being hospitalized.

• The Warren County Health Department has reported 142 pediatric cases since August, which meets the Ohio Department of Health’s definition of an outbreak.

• The illness is not believed to be a new disease, but rather a combination of common infections, including mycoplasma pneumonia, strep, and adenovirus.

• There are theories that children are more susceptible due to weakened immune systems from lockdowns, mask-wearing, and school closures.

• The Netherlands and Denmark have also reported mysterious spikes in ‘walking pneumonia’ cases, most common in younger children.