China says no 'unusual' virus behind rising pneumonia cases after WHO seeks details

China has reiterated that no unusual or new pathogens have been detected in the upsurge in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the WHO said on Thursday after putting pressure on Beijing for detailed information.

China said no unusual or new pathogens have been detected in the upsurge in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the WHO said Thursday after pressing Beijing for detailed information. The health agency had sought epidemiologic and clinical information as well as laboratory results through the International Health Regulations mechanism.

China's data indicates that the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the spread of known pathogens, such as mycoplasma pneumonia, a common bacterial infection that primarily affects younger children and has been circulating since May, are responsible for the rise in respiratory illnesses.

Since October, there has been a spread of adenovirus, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The development comes after Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission held a press conference on November 13 to report an increase in incidence of respiratory disease.

Both China and the WHO have faced questions about the transparency of reporting on the earliest COVID-19 cases that emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

Additionally, the WHO had requested more data from China about patterns in the spread of recognised diseases and the strain on medical systems. According to the health department, it has established technology connections and networks in China that allow it to communicate with doctors and scientists.

Next month marks the fourth anniversary since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, was first reported. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO repeatedly criticised Chinese authorities for their lack of transparency and cooperation. More than three years after cases were first detected in Wuhan, heated debate still rages around the origins of Covid-19.