Govt closely monitoring respiratory illness outbreak in China, risk to India low

The Union health ministry is closely monitoring the new outbreak reported in China resulting in respiratory illness among children.

There is a low risk to India from both avian influenza as well as clusters of respiratory illness, the ministry said in a statement.

"India is prepared for any kind of exigency that may emerge from the current situation," the statement read.

The ministry took note of the media reports of a cluster outbreak of mysterious respiratory illness in children in northern China for which WHO has also issued a statement, and said India is prepared for any kind of exigency.

The health ministry discussed the recent human case of H9N2 (Avian influenza virus) in China reported to WHO in October 2023. The overall risk assessment by WHO indicates a low probability of human-to-human spread and low case fatality among human cases of H9N2 reported to WHO so far, the ministry noted.