Images of parents and children queueing up at one of Beijing's main paediatrics hospitals. According to the World Health Organization, Northern China has reported an increase in "influenza-like illness" since mid-October compared to the same period in the previous three years. Winters in the country's north, where temperatures can plunge below freezing, typically lead to a higher incidence of respiratory infectious diseases. However, the WHO asked China for more data on respiratory illnesses, urging people to take steps to reduce the risk of infection. IMAGES