GENEVA: China says no unusual pathogens have been noticed in the increase in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the World Health Organization said Thursday.
Since mid-October 2023, the WHO has been monitoring data from China’s surveillance systems indicating a surge in respiratory illness in children in northern part of the country.
The UN health body announced it had made an official plea to China for additional data, but the government of China offered no public statement on Thursday.
China Reports no New Pathogens in Respiratory Illness Increase: WHO
The world health body said it arranged a teleconference on Thursday with the Beijing Children’s Hospital and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, facilitated by the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention and the National Health Commission.
“Chinese officials advised that there has been no discovery of any unusual pathogens or new clinical presentations, including in Liaoning and Beijing, but only the aforementioned general upsurge in respiratory illnesses because of multiple known pathogens,” the WHO stated. The world health body is closely monitoring the matter and is in contact with the authorities in China.
The organization suggested that people in China follow precautionary measures to decrease the risk of respiratory illness. The statement said that the WHO does not suggest any specific measures for visitors to China.
