US Official Sounds Alarm After Chinese ‘Pneumonia Outbreak Raises Serious Questions’

The U.S. ambassador to Japan said the outbreak in China “raises serious questions.”

Children and their parents wait at an outpatient area at a children hospital in Beijing on Nov. 23, 2023. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images

A U.S. official sounded the alarm over a “pneumonia outbreak” in northern China that reportedly sent a number of children to local hospitals.

About four years after COVID-19 emerged in China, a number of children have reportedly suffered pneumonia, a fever, or other respiratory issues, according to reports. Hospitals are now reportedly overwhelmed due to the rise in cases, sparking an alert from the World Health Organization as well as a top U.S. official.