A spike in cases of the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China has raised concerns about another COVID-style pandemic.
A rise in respiratory virus cases in China has raised alarming parallels to the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak nearly five years ago.
Like many other respiratory illnesses, HMPV is most prevalent in late winter and early spring.
This is because viruses are more likely to thrive in colder climates and spread more readily among people who spend more time indoors with their windows closed.
Low temperatures that are predicted to persist until March are occurring at the same time as the current HMPV surge in northern China.
According to researcher Jacqueline Stephens of Flinders University in Australia, rates of HMPV are rising in several other northern hemisphere nations, including the US.
What is HMPV ? How does it spread?
HMPV stands for ‘human metapneumovirus,’ which attacks the respiratory system.It belongs to the Metapneumovirus family, which includes the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Researchers first identified it in 2001 in The Netherlands.
HMPV mostly affects the lungs and airways, causing symptoms that resemble the flu or the common cold, including:
- Coughing with a runny nose
- Fever
- Breathlessness
- Sore Throat
- Headache
HMPV can afflict individuals of any age, but children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are most frequently affected.
It is a major contributor to respiratory ailments, particularly in the winter.The infection usually goes away on its own, but in extreme situations it can cause illness like bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
When an infected individual coughs or sneezes, they release respiratory droplets into the air, or they may transfer the virus by touching infected objects.
HMPV : The new Covid?
Beijing officials’ insistence that everything was OK only served to heighten suspicions, given that the World Health Organization only last week reissued requests for information regarding the origins of COVID.
However, by reaffirming the Chinese government’s assertions that nothing out of the ordinary is occurring, the WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control have now intervened to allay concerns of a fresh outbreak.
The virus has no known cure, and while bed rest is effective in nearly all instances, more severe cases may require treatment for other illnesses, such as pneumonia.
Since researchers recognized it in 2001, most people have developed immunity to HMPV.
Although HMPV has recently become more common in some places, like China, it is not as serious a problem as COVID-19.
Health officials have stressed that HMPV typically causes moderate illness and will not lead to a global health crisis similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.
China’s situation in HMPV
Source : Sky News Australia
Although the Chinese government has acknowledged the rise in HMPV cases, it has stressed that the virus is a recognized entity and people should not take it seriously.
Since the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was a novel infection, people’s immune systems had not developed anti-COVID responses.
China recorded a sharp rise in HMPV infections in December 2024, with the virus responsible for 6.2% of positive respiratory test results in a single week. At the time, the virus also accounted for 5.4% of hospitalizations for respiratory conditions.
According to Xinhua, the state news agency, official Chinese data indicates that the number of HMPV cases, both emergency and outpatient, has been increasing since mid-December.
Several parents and social media users sought online guidance because they were unfamiliar with the virus. It recommended common-sense precautions, such as frequent hand washing and avoiding crowded areas, to stay safe.
