China manages the threat of a new respiratory virus

HMPV is a respiratory virus that has begun to spread in recent days in China, putting hospitals under pressure. The outbreak comes five years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the consequences of which are still lingering.

Both national and international media have have raised concerns about the human metapneumovirus (HMPV.) Meanwhile scenes of hospitals in northern China overflowing with people wearing face masks have circulated on social media, raising concerns about another possible pandemic, the BBC reports.

Beijing has acknowledged a significant increase in cases of HMPV which has a particular impact on children. Chinese authorities have explained that the increase in infections is due to a seasonal surge in the virus.

However, HMPV is not like Covid-19, according to public health experts who have noted that the pathogen has been around for decades. It has also been flagged up that almost all children become infected before they turn five.

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The symptoms caused by this respiratory illness are similar to those of the flu or a cold, but it can lead to more serious complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia, especially among the elderly, children and people with weak immune systems.

The rise in cases is probably also due to new technology detecting HMPV more easily. “I think we are more cautious about outbreaks now. Everyone is very vigilant, and hearing the term human metapneumovirus causes a certain fear,” a public health expert tells The Guardian.

For now, international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not commented on the matter or issued any alerts, according to Clarín.

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The Chinese authorities have warned people to take precautions regarding health and hygiene, as the virus is transmitted through direct contact between people or when someone touches contaminated surfaces, but they have ruled out the possibility of a pandemic and hospital collapse, the BBC reports.

HMPV was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001 and is present worldwide. This means, unlike Covid-19, people already have a certain degree of existing immunity due to previous exposure to the virus.

Infectious disease expert Paul Griffin told The Guardian that the rise in HMPV cases is "significant" and that there are no vaccines for the virus. Griffin advocates a return to wearing masks and self-isolation when infected to prevent the spread of the virus.