The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is closely monitoring reports of a surge in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.
Discovered in 2001, HMPV is common but underdiagnosed due to its similarity to the common cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to media reports, virus cases in the United States are at “pre-pandemic” levels and are not currently “worrying,” but the number of cases has increased significantly in northern China, especially among children 14 and under in Beijing.
Chinese government officials said the surge in reported cases coincided with the seasonal illness and appeared to be less severe than in other years.
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The CDC said virus cases in the United States are at “pre-pandemic” levels and “not a cause for concern at this time.” (Department of Disease Control)
“Respiratory infections tend to peak in winter,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Dr. Eileen Schneider, a medical epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases, said HMPV “has been associated with approximately 20,000 hospitalizations in children under 5 years old.”
The virus may also cause concern for “elderly and immunocompromised patients.”
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The symptoms of HMPV are similar to influenza and other respiratory viruses. (iStock)
Manifestations of HMPV are usually mild and may include respiratory symptoms such as cough, fever and nasal congestion, Schneider said.
“These symptoms are often clinically indistinguishable from infections with other common respiratory viruses, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus,” she said.
An art teacher draws a poster to raise awareness about the spread of the HMPV virus on January 6, 2025 in Mumbai, India. (Indranil Aditya/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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There is currently no vaccine or treatment for the virus, but the infection usually does improve with rest, fluids and over-the-counter medications, the CDC says.
