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The World Health Organization has appealed for more details from China on a mysterious pneumonia outbreak striking children in the country's north, as authorities scramble to determine the cause.
In a statement on Wednesday, the UN health agency said it had formally requested information from Beijing on a spike in respiratory illnesses, including reported clusters of pneumonia in kids. The call comes after Chinese health officials last week blamed the surge on the lifting of COVID curbs and the circulation of known bugs.
But clusters of unexplained pneumonia in children noted by the monitoring system ProMED on November 21 have triggered alarm. The WHO said it was unclear if these reports were linked to the officials' remarks.
Source: theguardian
While the cause remains a mystery, the agency advised people to take precautions like getting vaccinated and wearing masks. It also asked for data on the spread of influenza, COVID-19, and other pathogens to assess whether hospitals were overwhelmed.
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Beijing has entered peak season for respiratory diseases, a health official said this week, with multiple pathogens co-circulating. The capital has seen temperatures plunge below freezing ahead of a cold snap.
Source: CNN news
The WHO request signals concerns about transparency, a sensitive issue in China. The agency has previously criticized Beijing for withholding information critical to understanding COVID-19's origins and early spread.
Determining the cause of the pediatric outbreak will be challenging with limited data. For now, the WHO's call for cooperation highlights the need for China to closely track unusual respiratory illnesses and share information to contain the threat.
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