Republican lawmakers sent an urgent plea to President Joe Biden on Friday as a concerning rise in pneumonia cases continues across China.
Many parts of China have been hit by a surge in the illness, which has particularly affected children. Northern provinces in China experienced a jump in cases for five consecutive weeks since mid-October. The news triggered global concern following China's lack of transparency regarding the origins of COVID-19, the spread of which prompted strict public health restrictions and quarantine measures.
Several states in the U.S. reported an uptick in child pneumonia cases this week, further raising alarm about the illness, although health officials alleged there is "zero evidence" that the increase is connected to China.
Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, has since urged Biden to ban U.S. travel to and from China to stop the spread of any contagions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested more information from China about the illness, but Rubio advised that Biden shouldn't wait any longer before implementing the travel restrictions.
"We must take the necessary steps to protect the health of Americans, and our economy," the letter said. "That means we should immediately restrict travel between the United States and the [People's Republic of China] until we know more about the dangers posed by this new illness. A ban on travel now could save our country from death, lockdowns, mandates, and further outbreaks later."
Rubio was joined by Republican Senators J.D. Vance of Ohio, Rick Scott of Florida, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Mike Braun of Indiana.
"The Chinese Communist Party has proven that they cannot be trusted to provide transparency about diseases originating in China," Rubio told Newsweek. "I hope that President Biden will take our request for a travel ban seriously. A travel ban is necessary while we wait for more information about this pathogen."
The letter went on to remind Biden that former President Donald Trump took similar action when the COVID-19 virus began to spread.
"On January 31, 2020, President Trump issued an order to restrict travel from the PRC into the United States to protect the American people and counter the spread of COVID-19. Many officials and commentators—including you—criticized his decision as being influenced by 'xenophobia.' But history and common sense show his decision was the right one," the letter said.
U.S. leaders aren't the only ones on edge. Several other nations have taken preventive steps against the virus, including Vietnam and India, as has Taiwan. This week, the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) also reported an uptick in pneumonia cases, particularly among children.
Chinese officials announced that they believe the rise is a combination of common illnesses like the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, which spread easily after China recently relaxed its COVID-19 restrictions, but the WHO has requested more information.
U.S. public health officials are trying to quell any panic, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring the situation.
"CDC is in touch with local health authorities and its country office in China," a CDC spokesperson previously told Newsweek. "Initial reports indicate that there have been simultaneous increases in a number of known respiratory illnesses, resulting in a spike in hospitalizations. We continue to monitor the situation, collaborating with global health partners."
Update 12/4/2023, 12:46 p.m. Eastern time: This article was updated to include comment from Senator Marco Rubio.
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