China concerned over children's lung disease, India vigilant

NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry assured that India need not worry about the respiratory disease affecting children in China. They mentioned close monitoring of the situation and readiness to handle any potential developments.

The Ministry clarified that only common respiratory diseases among Indian children have been reported with no alarming cases. The World Health Organization stated that H9N2 cases are unlikely to spread among people or cause fatalities.

Additional testing is ongoing on both humans and pets, as mentioned by the ministry. They highlighted enhanced coordination within the treatment system post the Covid pandemic citing improvements under the Prime Minister's Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Following the detection of avian influenza cases in humans in China, a meeting was convened by the Director General of Health Services to assess India's preparedness.

In mid-October, there was an increase in lung disease cases among children in northern China. The World Health Organization requested further details, but China hasn't responded to the issue yet.