BEIJING – The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Nov 22 officially requested that China provide detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children.
The Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission held a press conference on Nov 13 to report an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in the country, the WHO said in a statement.
The global health agency said the Chinese authorities attributed the increase to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae (a common bacterial infection that typically affects younger children), respiratory syncytial virus, and the virus that causes Covid-19.