A sharp increase in hMPV infections in China

Official data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention show that the number of cases of flu-like illnesses in the country has been increasing since the end of last year. In the last week of 2024, 30.2 percent of flu tests came back positive, an increase of 6.2 percent. compared to the previous week, and due to severe respiratory problems 17.7 percent. patients were hospitalized. The same data, cited by the American “Newsweek”, indicate that in terms of morbidity, the hMPV virus exceeds COVID-19rhinoviruses and adenoviruses.

According to sanitary services, the number of metapneumovirus infections has increased rapidly and is highest in the north of the country. Emergency measures have been introduced to monitor the spread of hMPV. There have been reports of overloaded hospitals, the introduction of emergency measures and fears of an epidemic outbreak, and videos posted on social media show scenes reminiscent of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – wrote the website of the British daily “Independent”.

Photos and videos have appeared online showing people wearing masks in hospitals China.

Beijing responds to these reports by pointing out that the increase in cases is typical of the winter period. “Respiratory infections usually peak during the winter season,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday.

Countries neighboring China are closely monitoring the situation, noted the Indian portal Ndtv. As he wrote at the same time, according to the authorities in India there is no reason to panic, and in December there was no significant increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases.

Several cases of hMPV have been reported in Hong Kong.

As stated by the website of the “Tehran Times” newspaper, in Iran medical authorities assured that there was no cause for concern and noted that World Health Organization (WHO) did not consider the increase in infections as requiring special treatment.

The hMPV virus was first identified in 2001. It is an RNA virus that spreads through droplets through coughing and sneezing. Children, the elderly and those suffering from other respiratory diseases are particularly vulnerable. Symptoms of infection include high fever, cough and sore throat. In some cases, the disease may progress to bronchitis or pneumonia. The increase in infections is particularly strong among children under 14 years of age.

Information about diseases caused by the hMPV virus appeared five years after the world first learned about the occurrence of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.