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HMPV Outbreak In China. Is This The Beginning Of A New Pandemic?
Here’s everything you need to know!
In late 2024, A surge in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) was reported in China, captivating global attention. With northern Chinese hospitals based in the area overwhelmed, and headlines likening it to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s natural people are worried. But public health experts warn that HMPV is not as dangerous or as unpredictable as the COVID-19 virus.
Here’s everything you need to know about this virus, the symptoms it causes, how it’s treated, and why maintaining calm is important.
How It All Started.
HMPV was first discovered in 2001 by Dutch researchers, but its spread among humans has probably not been recent. The virus is a frequent cause of respiratory infections and belongs to the same family as respiratory syncytial virus or RSV.
The recent rise in cases started in northern China, where hospitals began reporting an influx of children with respiratory symptoms. By December 2024, so many cases had spiked that the pediatric wards at some hospitals reached maximum capacity. Most of the cases have been among children younger than 14, but older people and people with weakened immune systems are also vulnerable.
