China’s Pneumonia Spike Sparks Concerns in Japan

A professor at Tokyo Medical University said Mycoplasma pneumonia is a rare cause of severe illness in contrast to the current infection in China.

Parents with children suffering from respiratory diseases line up at a children's hospital in Chongqing, China, on Nov. 23, 2023. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

China is wrestling with a spike in respiratory illness among children, promoting concerns of potential transmission in the region.

The ongoing pneumonia epidemic has led to hospitals being overwhelmed with patients and the suspension of classes in schools among megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, and northeast China provinces.