China says it has discovered no new or unusual pathogens linked to the rise in lung diseases in the north of the country, the World Health Organization said on Thursday after asking Beijing for detailed information.
• Also read: WHO is concerned about the increase in respiratory diseases in China
“Chinese authorities have indicated that neither new or unusual pathogens nor unusual clinical symptoms have been detected, including in Beijing and Liaoning, but simply a general increase in the number of cases of respiratory illnesses due to known pathogens,” the WHO said in a statement .
Since mid-October, the WHO has been examining data from Chinese surveillance systems that show a significant increase in respiratory diseases among children in northern China.
The agency said it had formally asked Beijing for more data, but the Chinese government made no official comment on Thursday.
The WHO said a conference call was held with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital on Thursday with the support of the National Health Commission.
The Geneva-based organization recommends that the Chinese population adhere to “measures to reduce the risk of respiratory diseases.”
Measures already generally recommended during the Covid-19 pandemic and epidemics include vaccination, keeping patients at a distance, isolation if symptoms occur, testing and care if necessary, and wearing a mask.
Speaking to the press on November 13, Chinese authorities attributed this increase in respiratory illnesses to the lifting of anti-Covid health restrictions this year and the spread of known pathogens.