The two sides reviewed the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas and engaged in an open, constructive and in-depth discussion…reports Asian Lite News
The 28th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on Thursday.
The Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation and the Director-General, Boundary and Oceanic Affairs, of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation, informed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The two sides reviewed the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas and engaged in an open, constructive and in-depth discussion of proposals to resolve the remaining issues and achieve complete disengagement in Eastern Ladakh, MEA said in a press release.
They further agreed on the need to maintain peace and tranquilly along the border areas, ensure a stable situation on the ground and avoid any untoward incidents.
The two sides agreed to continue dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and hold the next round of the Senior Commanders’ Meeting at the earliest to achieve the above objective, the MEA release said.
China’s pneumonia concern
Hot on the heels of a deadly Covid-19 pandemic, the recent pneumonia outbreak reported in China is a concern for the rest of the world as our interconnected world still poses risks, said experts on Thursday, while calling on the need for preparing for the worst.
A recent post on ProMED Mail, the online reporting system of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, reported that China was experiencing a major pneumonia outbreak with no known cause in children.
It said that the outbreak, causing symptoms such as high fever, and some developing pulmonary nodules is overwhelming paediatric hospitals in the country.
Upon request, Chinese officials informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) that no new pathogens were detected in the outbreak, and instead the illnesses were caused by known seasonal viruses such as the flu and RSV, along with the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Netherlands and Denmark have also reported a similar uptick in pneumonia cases among children.
While there is currently no report of a spread, it may be too early to say whether it can spread, said health experts calling for increasing surveillance.
“While the risk of the new China flu threatening India is currently low, the potential for spillover remains. Implementing proactive preventive measures and strengthening public health infrastructure are crucial to safeguard India’s health security,” Dr Tushar Tayal, Consultant, Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.
“In the wake of the pneumonia outbreak in China, vigilance becomes our greatest shield. Although, there is no imminent threat to India, given our robust preparedness. Drawing from our past encounters with novel viruses, our readiness is evident. The lessons learned have fortified our capabilities to effectively address potential challenges posed by emerging infectious agents. However, our interconnected world still poses risks, and in such a case awareness and precautions are potent tools,” added Dr Nidhin Mohan, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru.
A new paper in the Lancet journal shows a significant resurgence of Mycoplasma pneumonia cases post Covid in several countries including Singapore and Sweden since April.
Last week, the Union Health Ministry noted that it is “closely monitoring the reported outbreak of H9N2 cases and clusters of respiratory illness in children” in northern China. (IANS/ANI)