China calls HMPV outbreak ‘winter event’, India says ‘don’t panic’
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China calls HMPV outbreak ‘winter event’, India says ‘don’t panic’

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

The spread of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) – a respiratory disease with flu-like symptoms similar to COVID-19 – in China has raised health concerns worldwide, with countries closely monitoring the situation.

Here are 10 points about the HMPV virus

  1. Photos and videos of masked people in hospitals in China emerged on social media platforms and local reports said the HMPV outbreak discovered in 2001 depicted similar scenes to the Covid outbreak five years ago, which later developed into a global pandemic and this resulted in over 7 million deaths worldwide.
  2. Beijing issued a press statement to address these concerns. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said Friday that “respiratory infections tend to peak in the winter season.”

  3. Reassuring citizens and tourists, she said: “I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China.” She added: “It is safe to travel in China.”
  4. India has been one of the countries most affected by COVID-19. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) official Dr. Atul Goel, has asked people not to panic over the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.
  5. “There was news of a metapneumovirus outbreak in China. “Let me be clear: Metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus that causes the common cold, and can cause flu-like symptoms in the very old and the very young,” said Dr. Goel.
  6. “We analyzed data on respiratory outbreaks in the country. There is no significant increase in the December 2024 data and no cases reported in large numbers from any of our institutions,” he said.
  7. The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet issued a statement on the virus outbreak in China and neither the global health agency nor Beijing have declared a state of emergency.
  8. China’s neighboring countries are closely monitoring the situation. Hong Kong has reported some cases of HMPV.

  9. According to the US Center for Disease Control, HMPV is a respiratory virus that causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections. People of all ages are affected, with young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems at greatest risk.
  10. The symptoms of HMPV are similar to those of flu and other respiratory infections. Common signs include cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. In severe cases, the virus can lead to complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

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