Five years after the world was warned about the then new virus called the coronavirus, in it hospitals are once again overcrowded, and the public is worried about a potential epidemic human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Footage and photos of people wearing masks in hospitals in China are spreading on social networks, reminiscent of those at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic. An increase in cases of infection was recorded in the northern provinces of China this winter, especially among children, writes the Independent portal.
What is the HMPV virus?
According to foreign media, human metapneumovirus or hMPV is a respiratory virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold and flu. Although the disease is usually mild, it can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, especially in infants, children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include a runny nose, fever, cough, nasal congestion, and fatigue with an incubation period of three to six days.
This virus is not new, but it has attracted attention amid an increase in cases, especially among children under the age of 14 in northern China. First identified in 2001, hMPV is a single-stranded RNA virus that spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces. Infections have previously been identified in various countries, including the United Kingdom. Unlike COVID-19, there is not yet a vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for hMPV, but it is a treatment that primarily includes alleviating symptoms.