China denies unusual virus as cause of rising Pneumonia cases

The WHO said Thursday after asking Beijing for further details that China maintains no uncommon or new infections have been discovered in the recent spike in child respiratory ailments.

The World Health Organization has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems indicating an upsurge in respiratory disease in children in northern China since mid-October 2023.

The UN health agency revealed late Wednesday that it had issued an official request for more data from Beijing, but the government made no public comment.

The World Health Organization stated on Thursday that it held a teleconference with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital, which was coordinated 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 continued.

The WHO went on to say, “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”, the statement reads.

The organization advised Chinese citizens to take precautions against respiratory illness.

These include getting recommended flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory pathogen vaccines; staying away from sick individuals; remaining home while sick; getting tested and medical care as needed; and wearing masks as appropriate.

“WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travelers to China”, the report said.

Next month marks the fourth anniversary of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China.

The WHO regularly chastised Chinese authorities for their lack of transparency and cooperation during the COVID-19 outbreak.

More than three years after the first instances of Covid-19 were discovered in Wuhan, a fierce debate over the virus’s origin continues.

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