China supplies data to WHO about clusters of respiratory illness

State media says there has been an increase in pneumonia infections among children but stresses that most cases are mild. Photograph: Mark R Cristino/EPA

Chinese health authorities have provided the requested data on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children, and have not detected any unusual or novel pathogens, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

The WHO had asked China for more information on Wednesday after groups including the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in north China.