Following a recent outbreak of pneumonia in several regions of China, Ohio has become the first state in the US to report an increased number of cases of the illness called 'white lung syndrome.' The outbreak in Ohio has particularly affected children, leading to an alarmingly high number of hospitalisations, local media reports said.  

• This comes as the global health body WHO continues to monitor the sudden surge in respiratory infections among children in China with countries including India, remaining vigilant.
• Earlier, Denmark's Statens Serum Institute (SSI) reported that Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections have seen a significant spike over the past five weeks. Netherlands, another European nation, also reported an alarming rise in pneumonia cases. 
• Since August, Ohio's Warren County has recorded 142 pediatric cases of the pneumonia strain. This prompted the county health department to declare it an outbreak based on the Ohio Department of Health's criteria, as per reports.