No unusual diseases, says China after WHO highlights rise in respiratory illness

Residents wearing face masks (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

Chinese officials say they have not detected any “unusual or novel diseases”, the World Health Organisation said, after an official request by the UN health agency for information about a 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 earlier this week.