Pneumonia outbreak in China is no reason for alarm: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) advised against imposing travel restrictions after a recent outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China sparked fears of a novel pathogen, similar to public concerns at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago. The global body said it requested additional information from Chinese officials after multiple media outlets reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia among children in Beijing, Liaoning, and other regions of China. During a discussion on Thursday, Chinese health authorities complied with the request, noting that Mycoplasma pneumoniae, RSV, adenovirus, and influenza have led to the recent spike in infections among children. Citing…