WHO asks China for more info on rise in illnesses, pneumonia clusters

Scientists have said the situation warranted close monitoring. Pic/AP

Chinese officials say they did not detect any "unusual or novel diseases" in the country, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, following an official request by the UN health agency for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children.

WHO cited unspecified media reports and a global infectious disease monitoring service as reporting clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China and formally requested more details from China earlier this week.

Outside scientists said the situation warranted close monitoring, but were not convinced that the recent spike in respiratory illnesses in China signalled the start of a new global outbreak.

The emergence of new flu strains or other viruses capable of triggering pandemics typically starts with undiagnosed clusters of respiratory illness. Both SARS and COVID-19 were first reported as unusual types of pneumonia.

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