Reports of a spike in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in northern China have sparked global health concerns. While the Chinese government attributes the surge to seasonal trends, videos circulating on social media depicting crowded hospitals have fueled fears of a potential pandemic.
An outbreak of a highly contagious virus in China has health officials on alert. Cases of human metapneumovirus, or HMPV , which can lead to respiratory disease , are reportedly spiking in northern China , the country's health officials have said. Children 14 and under are said to be most affected. While not as widely known as other viruses, HMPV is not new. The virus was first discovered in 2001 and is in the same family as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pandemic potential? Videos have appeared on social media showing overwhelmed hospitals in China, sparking concerns of a potential pandemic. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has attributed the spike to a regular seasonal surge, saying in a statement on Friday, 'Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season … the diseases appear to be less severe and spread on a smaller scale compared to the previous year.' The CDC has said it is monitoring the virus through its National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS). 'CDC is aware of reported increases in HMPV in China and is in regular contact with international partners and monitoring reports of increased disease,' a CDC spokesperson said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. 'These reports are not currently a cause for concern in the U.S., though some transmission of HMPV can be expected throughout the year, especially during the winter respiratory virus season.' The agency also said, 'We can expect that existing surveillance systems will rapidly detect any increase in HMPV cases in the U.S.' 'CDC will continue to monitor and provide important updates to the public.' Influenza A is currently driving hospitalizations in China, according to the same sourc
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