The outbreak of new respiratory illness in China does not pose an immediate risk to India, the Centre said.
The statement comes in the wake of media reports indicating the emergence of clusters of respiratory illnesses in children in northern China. In addition, there has also been an outbreak of H9N2 avian influenza in the region.
"India is prepared for any kind of public health exigency," said the Union Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the WHO has also issued a statement, in which it urged people in China to get vaccinated, keep distance from ill people, wear masks, and get tested and seek medical care as needed.
The government of India said there is currently a low probability of human-to-human spread and a low case fatality rate among human cases of H9N2 reported so far.
On the pneumonia-like cases reported in China, the Health Ministry said that there has been no identification of an unusual pathogen or any unexpected clinical manifestations. Instead, these are likely to have been caused by the usual factors.
The Union Health Ministry has informed that it is closely monitoring the situation. It also informed that a meeting was recently held under the Chairmanship of the Director General Of Health Services to discuss the preparedness measures against human cases of Avian Influenza in the country. The need for strengthening surveillance among human, animal husbandry and wildlife sectors and improving coordination was recognized in the meeting, the government said.
It also added that there has also been a significant strengthening of health infrastructure, especially since the COVID pandemic.
WHO said that northern China has reported a jump in influenza-like illnesses since mid-October compared to the previous three years. It is rare for the U.N. health agency to publicly ask for more detailed information from countries, as such requests are typically made internally. WHO said it requested further data from China via an international legal mechanism.
According to internal accounts in China, the outbreaks have swamped some hospitals in northern China, including in Beijing, and health authorities have asked the public to take children with less severe symptoms to clinics and other facilities.
The average number of patients in the internal medicine department at Beijing Children’s Hospital topped 7,000 per day, exceeding the hospital’s capacity, state-owned China National Radio said in an online article earlier this week.
(With agency inputs)