As rates of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) have risen in China, other countries have begun reporting cases of the virus.
HMPV is a virus that presents symptoms similar to the cold, flu or COVID-19, that was first recognized in 2001 and is known to circulate alongside winter flu seasons.
While official health bodies in China have not stated that there is an outbreak of HMPV there, cases of the virus have risen in recent weeks according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Chinese CDC's statistics indicate that multiple flu-like illnesses are on the rise—as is expected during the colder months—led by influenza, at 30.2 percent of positive respiratory illness tests, and HMPV second to that, at 6.2 percent.
A press conference given by the Chinese CDC also confirmed that cases of HMPV infection had risen among those under 14, especially in northern provinces.
Hong Kong, a part of China, has also reported HMPV cases but at low levels, lower than this time last year.
HMPV in India
Given this news, some other countries have begun monitoring HMPV cases, including India.
Various outlets have reported that three children have tested positive for HMPV, including a three-month-old baby, an eight-month-old baby and a child.
Health officials in India have stated that the cases are not linked to the outbreak in China nor indicative of a wider outbreak in India.
HMPV in Malaysia
Malaysia has been reported to have seen a surge in HMPV cases, with several outlets saying that the country saw 327 cases in 2024, 45 percent more than the previous year.
However, the Malaysian Ministry of Health did not report this figure; a recent statement said nothing about HMPV specifically, just that the agency was monitoring pathogens responsible for respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and influenza.
The Ministry of Health also shared a Facebook post by Malaysian politician Dzulkefly Ahmad on Monday saying these figures were incorrect ("tidak benar").
HMPV in Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan has reported cases of HMPV as part of an expected seasonal rise of respiratory illnesses including flu.
The Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control reported 30 cases of HMPV during the current flu season, which is less than influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenza and bocavirus.
HMPV in Other Countries
In other countries, HMPV may well be circulating. The virus is known to cause illnesses during colder months, including in the U.S., where it tends to peak during winter and spring.
Symptoms include coughing, fever, stuffy or runny nose and shortness of breath, and may progress to bronchitis or pneumonia, where the lung airways or lungs themselves become inflamed.
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