UK on high alert as 'mystery' virus cases soar amid warnings for Brits to 'mask up'
UK on high alert as 'mystery' virus cases soar amid warnings for Brits to 'mask up'
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Cases of the former 'mystery' virus originating in China have risen sharply in the last week, putting UK health bosses on alert. China was forced to put emergency measures in place earlier this month after the virus, later identified as HMPV virus, started to spike across the country’s northern provinces. Social media posts showed hospital wards overflowing with young children as tots were struck down by the nasty illness, which appeared to have Covid-like symptoms.
Local news reports showed scenes of people wearing masks in hospitals with journalists claiming the scenes had an eerie echo of the start of the Covid pandemic in 2019, the Daily Star reports. As the numbers peaked for those displaying the likes of fever, coughs and sore throats in China, studies suggested that the “mysterious illness” was already ashore the UK – which it was. According to the latest information from the UK's Health and Security Agency, cases of Human metapneumovirus are on the rise once again. The latest update states: “Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) positivity increased to 4.9%, with the highest positivity in those aged 80 years and over at 7.3%.”.
The report also clarifies that around 7,826 specimens were tested in total, and comes just weeks after Brits were told to “consider wearing a face mask” to stop cases rising. And Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, also raised concerns on X (formerly Twitter ) about the impact winter diseases have on the NHS.
She wrote: "It is difficult to put into words just how tough it is for our frontline staff at the moment. We are really worried about the toll that flu and other viruses are taking on our patients and on services across the NHS. Not only are staff managing high levels of A&E attendances and ambulance calls, they are also caring for really sick people who have been admitted and need specialist care.
