China ‘overwhelmed’ by mystery new virus outbreak five years on from Covid
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A mysterious viral outbreak is overwhelming some hospitals in China and prompting people to wear face masks again. Videos on social media appear to show medical units struggling with large numbers of patients. Parents were seen holding sick children amid long queues in paediatric care late at night.
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Many are drawing similarities with the early dark days of the Covid pandemic five years ago from its start in the city of Wuhan. According to local news reports, a little-known virus called human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has been blamed. It normally causes a mild cold-like illness, including fever, a cough, runny nose and wheezing.
In severe cases, HMPV can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly in children. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and close physical contact, making it highly contagious in crowded settings. The World Health Organization highlighted the increase in cases in a November bulletin, noting that respiratory infections had been on the rise since October.
In response, China’s National Disease Control and Prevention Administration launched a pilot monitoring system aimed at identifying and managing pneumonia of an unknown origin. This initiative is designed to improve tracking and response to the surge in winter-related respiratory infections.
