China's Hospitals Overwhelmed by Mysterious Respiratory Illness Outbreak

Hospitals in China are overwhelmed with cases of respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia-like symptoms in children, prompting increased scrutiny from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO has requested disease data on the respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. Chinese health authorities attribute the rising infections to a mix of known viruses and the country's first full cold season after lifting strict Covid restrictions. The symptoms may be linked to mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common bacterial infection. Scientists are calling for more diagnostic information to determine the cause of the outbreak. The WHO advises people in China to follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness.