2 days ago Kelly Ng & Jennifer Clarke BBC News A surge in cases of the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China has raised fears of another Covid-style pandemic.
They say China and other countries are simply experiencing the seasonal increase in HMPV typically seen in winter.
First identified in the Netherlands in 2001, HMPV spreads through direct contact between people, or when someone touches a contaminated surface.
Why are HMPV cases rising in China?
In northern China, the current HMPV spike coincides with low temperatures that are expected to last until March.
How does HMPV spread and what is it?
two days previously.
Both Jennifer Clarke and Kelly Ng.
NBC News.
The flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has become more prevalent in China, which has sparked concerns about a covid-like pandemic.
On social media, pictures of hospitals crowded with masked patients have gone viral. However, medical professionals clarify that HMPV is not the same as COVID-19 and that it has existed for many years.
They claim that the seasonal increase in HMPV that is usually observed in the winter is all that is happening in China and other nations.
What is HMPV, how does it spread, and what are its symptoms?
HMPV was first discovered in the Netherlands in 2001 and is transmitted by direct contact between individuals or by contact with a contaminated surface.
For the majority of people, the virus causes a mild upper respiratory tract infection.
Usually, it is nearly identical to the flu.
Most people experience fever, blocked nose, and coughing as symptoms.
The virus primarily affects the very young, including those under two.
According to Singaporean infectious diseases expert Hsu Li Yang, it also puts people with compromised immune systems—such as the elderly and those with advanced cancer—at higher risk.
Infection can cause a “small but significant proportion” of immunocompromised individuals to develop more severe lung disease, including wheezing, dyspnea, and croup symptoms.
According to Dr. Hsu, “a smaller proportion will be at risk of dying from the infection, while many will require hospital care.”.
Why are there more cases of HMPV in China?
The peak season for HMPV, like many other respiratory infections, is late winter and early spring.
The reason behind this is that viruses thrive in colder climates and are more likely to spread from person to person as people spend more time indoors with windows closed.
The current HMPV spike in northern China is occurring during a period of low temperatures that is predicted to continue until March.
According to Jacqueline Stephens, an epidemiologist at Flinders University in Australia, rates of HMPV are rising in many other northern hemisphere nations, including the US.
“Although this is alarming, the elevated frequency is probably the typical seasonal rise observed during the winter,” she stated.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), which keeps track of flu-like illness rates throughout the Northern Hemisphere, it has not heard of any odd outbreak patterns in China or other places.
It stated that no emergency declarations or responses have been made thus far, and Chinese authorities have confirmed that the health care system is not overburdened.
In the UK, is HMPV on the rise?
Since October 2024, the UK has seen a steady increase in the incidence of HMPV.
The number of cases reported is not disclosed by the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA).
However, according to its most recent data, the proportion of individuals who tested positive for the illness increased significantly during the third week of December and continued to do so the following week.
The level of the disease observed in hospitals and general practitioners’ offices, however, is consistent with normal seasonal trends, according to the UKHSA.
Could another pandemic similar to COVID-19 occur?
