Patients wait at a pediatric and emergency area of a hospital amid a spike in respiratory illnesses in Shanghai, China (Image: VCG via Getty Images)
China is currently grappling with a virus outbreak that’s now reportedly spreading to other countries. The human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has seen a significant surge, prompting health professionals to closely monitor the situation.
Reports suggest that India and Malaysia are also dealing with the outbreak. In response, the Indian state of Karnataka has issued advice for people showing symptoms of HMPV to avoid public places and wear masks in crowded areas.
This follows three reported cases of the respiratory illness. Earlier this week, an eight-month-old boy and a three-month-old girl tested positive in Bengaluru, while a two-month-old from Rajasthan is receiving treatment for the illness in Ahmedabad.
Although not the same as Covid, the virus has seen a reported increase in the UK, raising concerns that the NHS could become even more overwhelmed. First identified in the Netherlands in 2001, the virus is a common worldwide illness belonging to the same family as RSV – short for respiratory syncytial virus.
Symptoms can include a cold, cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. However, it can develop into serious complications, leaving patients severely ill and potentially near death, reports the Daily Star.
Worries over the presence of HMPV in the UK grow as recent statistics from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) report a rise in cases, with a noticeable 4.15 percentage point jump between October and December last year. Participation from GPs has shown an uptick in the rate of patients testing positive for HMPV, hitting 4.53 per cent by the end of 2024.
As it stands, HMPV is categorised at a “medium” activity level by UKHSA, and although the increase in positivity rate is only marginally higher than at 2024’s outset, authorities remain vigilant. Compounding these concerns, the NHS is experiencing strains with reports of being inundated by “exceptionally high” rates of flu and other seasonal illnesses.
