After being pressed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to share more details about the surge in respiratory illnesses detected in the north among children, China on Thursday said that there were no unusual or new pathogens found.
The WHO stated that it was closely monitoring the situation and that it made an official request to Beijing to share more information, but the government did not offer any public response on Thursday.
The UN health agency said it held a teleconference on Thursday with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital, facilitated by the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention.
“Chinese authorities advised that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing and Liaoning, but only the aforementioned general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens,” the WHO said in a statement.
“They further stated that the rise in respiratory illness has not resulted in patient loads exceeding hospital capacities.
“WHO is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in China. WHO will continue to provide updates as warranted.”
It then recommended that Chinese residents follow measures like getting jabbed against flu, Covid-19 and other respiratory pathogens, keeping distance from the ones who are ill, staying at home, getting tested and wearing masks as appropriate.
“WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers to China,” it added.
Chinese hospitals overburdened with cases
The hospitals in China are reportedly overburdened with sick children impacted by the mysterious pneumonia.
According to local media reports, many medical institutions in northern China are stretched to a limit as paediatric visits have touched a historic high in the past week, with the onset of winter compounding the uptick.
The main epicentres have been located in Beijing and Liaoning province, where schools have been ordered to shut down owing to rising cases.
(With inputs from agencies)
