Description of the situation
23 December 1998
Disease Outbreak Reported
Unconfirmed intense outbreaks of influenza in the northern part of the country have been reported. Viruses are currently being investigated by the WHO collaborating centre in Atlanta, Georgia and followed up together with the Chinese health authorities. It is important to note that not all acute respiratory illnesses, even in city-wide influenza outbreaks, are necessarily caused by influenza. It is likely that other viruses like respiratory syncitial viruses and parainfluenza viruses may also be circulating and causing influenza-like illnesses in the population.