On Friday, five Republican senators, led by Marco Rubio, asked President Joe Biden's administration to ban travel between the United States and China after a surge in respiratory disease cases in China.
This is reported by Reuters.
"We must immediately limit travel between the United States and (China) until we learn more about the dangers posed by this new disease," said the letter, signed by Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and four other senators.
A spokesman for the Biden administration said the United States was closely monitoring the rise in respiratory disease in China, but added: "We are seeing seasonal trends. There is nothing out of the ordinary. ... There is currently no indication that there is a link between people, who seek help in American emergency rooms, and the outbreak of respiratory diseases in China."
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in response to Rubio's letter: "The relevant statements are purely malicious fabrications. China strongly opposes them."
It will be recalled that last week the World Health Organization asked China to provide additional information, referring to the report on groups of undiagnosed pneumonia in children, prepared by the New Disease Monitoring Program. In particular, in November in northwestern China, a video was published of hospitals overflowing with parents and children.
Maria Van Kerkhove, acting director of WHO's Department of Epidemic Preparedness and Prevention, said earlier this week that the rise in cases is due to more children being exposed to pathogens they have avoided during two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Chinese health authorities have reported that they have not found any unusual or new pathogens in connection with outbreaks of pneumonia in children. According to the data received, the WHO does not recommend abandoning travel and trade, as they monitor the situation together with the Chinese authorities.
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