The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the Chinese population to “take measures to reduce the risk of respiratory diseases” and asked authorities for more information about a cluster of pneumonia cases among children in the north of the country. The WHO called on China’s population to get vaccinated, stay away from sick people and stay at home if they have symptoms, the UN health agency said in a statement posted online on Wednesday.
A spokesman confirmed the information to the AFP news agency. According to the WHO, cases of “flu-like illnesses” have increased in China since mid-October compared to previous years.
The WHO statement continues: At a press conference on November 13th, the Chinese authorities attributed the increase in respiratory diseases to the lifting of corona measures and the spread of known pathogens. On November 21, local media and the health authority Promed reported a cluster of undiagnosed pneumonia among children in northern China.
On November 22, WHO “requested additional epidemiological and clinical information and laboratory results on these reported clusters in children. We also have additional information on current trends in the spread of known pathogens, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, RSV and Mycoplasma pneumoniae , as well as the current burden on the health systems.”
The organization is in contact with networks, clinics and scientists in China.
