Official reports from the Indian Ministry of Health or World Health Organization (WHO)

China's HMPV Outbreak Overwhelms Hospitals, No Cases Reported in India

Jan 3, 2025, 01:07 PM

China is currently experiencing a surge in respiratory illnesses, including an outbreak of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), five years after the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports indicate that the virus, which causes symptoms similar to the flu and Covid-19, including flu-like symptoms, is spreading rapidly across the country. Hospitals in China are reportedly overwhelmed, with social media videos showing crowded facilities. The outbreak has raised concerns about a potential new health crisis, prompting heightened surveillance and monitoring by health authorities. The Chinese government has downplayed the severity of the outbreak, stating that the current respiratory illnesses are less severe compared to the previous year and reassuring that the country remains safe for travel. In India, health authorities are closely monitoring the situation but have stated that there is no cause for alarm as no HMPV cases have been reported in the country. Experts have noted that HMPV, first identified in 2001, is a known virus, common in winter, and not a new threat. HMPV can cause pneumonia and worsen chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but there is no vaccine available for it.