Overwhelmed by masked individuals in search of medical care as a highly contagious disease wreaks havoc through the community.
Doing the damage. Instead, doctors are struggling to cope with high rates of illness caused by a different organism called the human metapneumovirus, or HMPV.
The virus results in cold and flu-like symptoms but poses a significant risk to specific groups of people, including children and the elderly.
However, it’s truly disconcerting to note that other countries are now also experiencing a significant increase in infections – with the tally in the UK doubling in the space of just a month.
So how worried should you be – and could this be the beginning of the next pandemic? Here’s everything you need to know…
What is HMPV?
“It, which is already a common cause of the lung infection bronchiolitis during winter – hospitalizing around 30 thousand children and 18 thousand adults in the UK each year.
The number of respiratory viruses tends to increase during the winter months because people spend more time indoors and closer to one another, creating a favorable environment for the spread of these viruses.
Researchers first identified it in 2001, although some findings indicate its existence extended even further, spanning hundreds of years.
You may not be aware of it because it is just one of the numerous viruses (at least 200 as of last count) known to cause cold and flu-like symptoms in the United Kingdom every year.
In reality, nearly every young person in the country has contracted HMPV by the age of five, and in most instances, only experienced mild symptoms such as a slight cold.
Why are we just finding out about it now?
HMPV has drawn public attention due to a significant increase in cases in China, particularly among children – with social media flooded with images of hospitals being overwhelmed.
According to China, there has been a surge of HMPV cases reported in the northern part of the country, with neighboring countries such as India, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan also announcing a notable increase in cases.
How dangerous is it?
For most healthy adults, it is unlikely to cause severe problems. However, in very young infants as well as the elderly or anyone with a chronic illness such as leukemia or rheumatoid arthritis, HMPV can lead to serious complications.
These include pneumonia and bronchiolitis, particularly in infants, where the virus causes hazardous inflammation in the smaller airways. Bronchiolitis is responsible for approximately 20 to 30 infant deaths annually in the UK. Furthermore, acute respiratory infections significantly increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in the elderly.
A 2018 study by the University of London suggested that viral infections could be responsible for nearly one in thirty cardiac-related deaths among people aged 75 and over.
How can I determine whether my progress is on the right track?
You wouldn’t – unless you were very unwell and were tested for it. But in the vast majority of cases, the primary symptoms are very similar to those of a common cold: coughing, blocked or runny nose, sore throat, and slight fever.
As with other viral infections, these are caused by the body’s immune system trying to combat them. Some individuals may also suffer from nausea and vomiting, but in most instances, these symptoms are fleeting and typically subside within two to five days.
You are probably unlikely to be tested for the infection unless it causes complications and you end up in the hospital, where doctors may need to ascertain the cause of your symptoms.
If so, they may perform a quick antigen test – such as the self-administered Covid tests used during the pandemic – where a nasal swab is examined for the presence of the hMPV virus.
They may use a more sensitive and high-tech PCR test, which is similar to those used for Covid. This test looks for genetic material from the virus in nasal swabs.
Are these cases in China indicative of the beginning of a pandemic?
Specialists have observed that HMPV is typically identified in the winter season, but the incidence of severe infection may be higher in China than typically anticipated.
According to top British specialists, it is doubtful that this outbreak marks the beginning of a pandemic.
HMPV replicates at a slower pace and generates new strains at a slower rate compared to the flu or Covid. Even if this HMPV outbreak is caused by a new strain, which hasn’t been confirmed yet, the general consensus is that it’s likely to be similar to existing strains, and our bodies would already have some level of immunity to it.
“HMPV has the ability to adapt and change over time as new strains emerge, but it does not pose a pandemic risk in our view,” said Dr Andrew Catchpole, head of scientific research at HVIVO, a UK-based independent research institute that specializes in the development of vaccines against infectious diseases.
Compare this virus with Covid-19 – this was a completely novel pathogen. The human immune system was poorly prepared to deal with it until vaccines became available.
Pandemics typically arise in one of two ways. Either a completely new pathogen enters the human population, or a new variant of an existing virus, formed by a combination of a human and animal versions, gives rise to a highly potent new organism. Could this have occurred? Dr. Catchpole notes: ‘There is no such animal reservoir of related viruses for HMPV.’
Will it overwhelm the National Health Service?
According to the United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Human Metapneumovirus is currently at what it describes as a ‘medium’ level of activity.
For instance, in the week ending December 23, 2024, 4.53 percent of hospital patients in England who were subjected to a PCR test for the virus tested positive, up from 2.5 percent at the beginning of the month and five times the number that tested positive in the summer.
In comparison, the figures do not differ substantially from the same period last year. To provide some context, the percentage of people testing positive for flu during that week was over 14 percent, and for RSV 7.35 percent.
According to Professor Paul Hunter, a medical expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia, increased detection through improved testing methods could be behind the heightened case numbers – rather than a sudden surge in infections.
How does it spread?
This virus is generally spread in a manner similar to the common cold, flu, or Covid-19, primarily airborne and transmitted from one person to another by inhaling contaminated droplets.
These pathogens travel deeply into the lungs, where the virus seizes healthy cells to utilize them as its reproductive “factory”, for further propagation.
Similar to cold and flu viruses, it is also possible to contract HMPV through contact with contaminated surfaces or from direct contact with an infected person, typically if they touch you in areas vulnerable to the virus, like the mouth, nose, or eyes. Symptoms become apparent within three to six days.
What measures can be taken to prevent contracting this illness?
The most effective defense is the same fundamental hygiene practices for any winter virus: washing hands with soap and warm water (to remove any viral particles present on your skin) and frequently cleansing surfaces around the home regularly.
Several experts recommend avoiding high-touch areas, including handrails and door handles in heavily frequented public areas – and donning face coverings in crowded settings.
What is the best course of action to take?
In most cases, treatment involves only the use of available over-the-counter medications for common cold and flu symptoms, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Is there a vaccine?
However, there are several other versions being developed specifically for infants.
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