Hospitals in China are crowded with people wearing masks. Some such images have been seen on social media in the last few weeks. This has also raised a fear – is there going to be another epidemic in the world?
Beijing has acknowledged that the number of people infected with an influenza-like virus is increasing in China. This virus is called human metapneumovirus or HMPV. Children are especially affected by this virus.
However, HMPV is not a virus like COVID-19. “This virus has been with us for decades, and almost all children have been infected before the age of five. However, the virus can be serious for some children and people with weakened immune systems.
What is HMPV and how it spreads
HMPV was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001. The virus spreads through direct contact between two or more people. In addition, there is a risk of spreading the virus from touching the infected area.
HMPV causes moderate upper respiratory tract infections. For most people, this infection cannot be distinguished from influenza infection. In most cases, infected people have symptoms like cold-cough and fever.
Su Lee Yang, an infectious disease doctor in Singapore, said young children, including those under the age of two, were at the greatest risk of contracting the virus. In addition, those who have weak immunity, including the elderly, are also at higher risk of being infected. Cancer patients are also at risk.
Dr Su Li Yang said a “small but significant” proportion of people with weakened immune systems could face serious health problems if infected. Their lungs may be affected,.
Why are HMPV cases on the rise in China?
Like many respiratory infections, HMPV is most active during winter and spring. Some experts say the reason there are more cases this season is because viruses can survive better in cold weather. In the winter, people spend more time indoors. The closed environment of the house is conducive to the spread of this virus.
Cold weather is also behind the rise in HMPV infections in northern China. Such weather may last until next March. Jacqueline Stephens, an epidemiologist at Flinders University in Australia, said that the incidence of HMPV is increasing not only in China but also in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s worrying. However, this outbreak may be due to the general growth of the virus in winter.
And according to the US and UK health departments, HMPV infections have been rising in both countries since October.