The World Health Organization (WHO) is requesting more data from China amid an outbreak of pneumonia in children.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, said the agency was 'following up with China' as hospitals across the country continue to be overwhelmed.

Face masks and social distancing are again being recommended in the country.

The country is said to be grappling with a spike in pneumonia, dubbed 'white lung syndrome' because of the way lung damage shows up on scans, among children that has been attributed to a rebound in respiratory illnesses rather than an entirely new virus.

China had one of the most brutal and longest lockdowns of any country in the world which the WHO says robbed children of vital immunity against seasonal illnesses.

Dr Van Kerkhove told the conference today: 'Yes, we are seeing an increase in respiratory infections around the world.

'We’re in autumn and entering winter months, so we are expecting to see rises in respiratory infections regardless.

'We are following up with China. They are seeing an increase due a number of different infections.

'We are following up with our clinical network and following up with clinicians in China.

'In terms of acute respiratory infections, we are looking at the burden on healthcare systems and looking at the healthcare capacities of systems.'

It comes after Chinese Health Ministry spokesman Mi Feng urged people in the country to again consider wearing face masks and distancing.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, he said: 'Efforts should be made to increase the opening of relevant clinics and treatment areas, extend service hours and increase the supply of medicines.

'It is necessary to do a good job in epidemic prevention and control in key crowded places.

'[This includes] in schools, childcare institutions and nursing homes, and to reduce the flow of people and visits.'