Social media reports an outbreak of human metapneumovirus in China. What is known so far?
Virus outbreak in China – it brings back dark memories. This time it’s not about an unknown virus like SARS-CoV-2. HMPV has been known since the early 2000s and was originally isolated in Rotterdam. What is known about the virus and how it spreads?
The World Health Organization has not confirmed the outbreak. In response to a request from “Ärzteblatt”, a spokesman said, citing the Chinese control authority: According to the latest report from the Chinese CDC from January 2nd, the number of acute respiratory infections, including seasonal influenza, RSV and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), is in Increased compared to the previous month. But that is to be expected for this time of year (winter in the northern hemisphere). The reported influenza activity is therefore lower than in the same period last year.
In fact, it is not clear whether the hospital cases are due to flu or hMPV. However, Indian authorities also confirm hMPV cases.
It is a so-called respiratory virus, a relative of the respiratory syncytial virus. The symptoms are similar to flu or corona. Fever, headache, runny nose and cough are typical. An infection can be particularly dangerous for small children and people with weakened immune systems.
“The fear of a pandemic can be assuaged,” said Dr. Carla Garcia Carreno, director of infection prevention and control at Children’s Medical Center Plano to CBS News. The virus is not only relatively stable, but also not a new virus like Covid-19. “It has been circulating for some time, so people have some immunity to this human metapneumovirus.”
Nevertheless, larger outbreaks still occur. After the Corona lockdowns, this was particularly noted in Great Britain and the USA. Apparently this is a catch-up effect due to the strict lockdown measures.
In its last weekly report from mid-December, the Robert Koch Institute names seven percent of the samples submitted in which hMPV was detected. Rhinoviruses, seasonal coronaviruses and adenoviruses were discovered much more frequently. Flu and SARS-CoV-2 viruses are also currently circulating.