Is HMPV in the UK and how worried should we be? Experts weigh in
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China has raised an alarm about another virus, five years after the Covid-19 pandemic, as it has now spread to other countries. Cases of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) involving infants – first, a three-month-old girl and an eight-month-old boy – have been confirmed in India.
![[Aerial photo of the B&Q hardware store in Beeston on a busy day with people queuing 2 metres apart due to social distancing, covid-19 coronavirus, and the UK lockdown]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234041319-84be.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The Bengaluru Baptist Hospital, in the southwest state of Karnataka, said that both children are now recovering. As infections spread, people are having flashbacks of the nightmare that emerged from Wuhan, which later turned into a global pandemic. So, what is HMPV? Is there a vaccine for it? Is it in the UK? And… are we going into another lockdown anytime soon?.
![[Mandatory Credit: Photo by Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto/Shutterstock (15082566e) A woman wearing a protective face mask walks along a road in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on December 7, 2025. India reports seven cases of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory virus that recently gains attention following its outbreak in China. The Centre states that HMPV is already in 'circulation' globally and that 'there's no need to panic.' Health Ministry Confirms Seven Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) Cases In India, Srinagar - 07 Jan 2025]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235259452-61e7.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
This is everything you need to know. HMPV was discovered by scientists in the Netherlands more than 20 years ago but has likely been circulating in humans for the last 60 years. It is a respiratory virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold and flu. Think a cough, fever, nasal congestion and wheezing.
Severe symptoms such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia can occur, especially in children, the elderly and the immunocompromised. People with pre-existing lung conditions, such as asthma, are at higher risk. The pathogen is common – so common that most children will have been infected with HMPV by the time they are aged five.
![[A pedestrian with face covered in cloth, walks past a wall mural promoting awareness on using face masks, in Varanasi on January 7, 2025, amid alleged media reports suggesting that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in India. (Photo by Niharika KULKARNI / AFP) (Photo by NIHARIKA KULKARNI/AFP via Getty Images)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235242204-4278.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The virus follows an annual seasonal pattern like flu and typically peaks in the winter or early spring. Yes, but don’t be alarmed, medical experts stress. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which monitors infectious diseases, the percentage of people testing positive for the disease rose by 4.5% in the week up to January 5.
![[Number of people in hospital with flu ‘rising at a very concerning rate’]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_209608956-d906.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
