North China continues to grapple with a surge of respiratory illnesses, with many children affected, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday.

Footage on CCTV showed baby and children wearing oxygen masks, and crowded waiting rooms. Doctors have encouraged parents to seek medical treatment as quickly as possible if their children show any symptoms, especially for babies under three months old.

The spike became a global issue last week with the World Health Organization (WHO) asked China for more information, citing a report on clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children by the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases.

The WHO said on Friday that no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent illness.

• Don't panic but mask up as respiratory cases spike in China: expert
• China reports no 'unusual or novel pathogens' in respiratory illnesses upsurge