Surge in Respiratory Illnesses in China Linked to Known Pathogens

The World Health Organization requests additional information from China as similar surges are reported in other countries.

China is experiencing a surge in respiratory illnesses, predominantly affecting children, attributed to known pathogens including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Chinese health officials attribute the increase to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the arrival of the cold season.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested additional epidemiologic and clinical information from China, as well as laboratory results from the affected children.
Despite the surge, the WHO and Chinese health officials say that the rise in cold and flu cases is 'not unexpected' and that the level of respiratory illness in the younger age group in China is currently lower than before the coronavirus pandemic.
Similar surges in respiratory illnesses have been reported in the Netherlands and the US, attributed to the end of COVID-19 mitigation measures.