HMPV Virus Outbreak Surges Alongside Alarming Scenes from Hospitals in China — U.S. Experts Urge Transparency and Raise Concerns About Latest Health Crisis

According to recent reports, HMPV has sent shockwaves through China, overwhelming healthcare systems and resulting in a significant uptick in hospital visits.

While Beijing has yet to address the distressing viral images of packed waiting rooms, experts believe that the outbreak, which has so far primarily affecting children and the elderly, is being fueled by the little-known HMPV.

Adding to increasing concern over the virus has been silence from Chinese authorities, reigniting fears of the early days of the pandemic when information slowly trickled out to the public.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has experienced its own rise in reported HMPV cases, with positive tests doubling from the beginning to the end of December, causing health officials to raise alarm over the situation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 300 positive HMPV test results were reported in the last week of December. This spike in U.S. cases correlates with fragmented information from China regarding the severity and spread of the virus.

HMPV, which was first identified in 2001, generally causes mild respiratory symptoms similar to a cold; however, severe complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia can occur, particularly for at-risk populations including children, elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

Adding to increasing concern over the rapidly spreading virus are estimates suggesting 10 to 30 percent of hospitalized HPMV cases may be fatal.

Dr. Senanayake addressed the situation while comparing China’s HMPV surge to what he described as a "bad flu season" in the U.S.

He said: "At this stage, the likelihood is that China is experiencing a bad HMPV season, in the same way that in some years we have an overwhelming flu season."

Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos of RMIT University said the surge in HMPV cases demands enhanced surveillance and monitoring.

Apostolopoulos added: "Ensuring effective monitoring and timely responses will be key to mitigating the public health risks of this outbreak."

Despite the rising cases and concern from specialists, the Chinese CDC has bizarrely downplayed alarmist claims while also urging the public to practice preventive measures such as hand washing.

A foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, disputed assertions that the situation has spiraled out of control.

Ning said: "Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season. The diseases appear to be less severe and spread with a smaller scale compared to the previous year."

But experts have warned HMPV transmission occurs through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Close personal contact, such as shaking hands, can also act as a vector for the disease. Researchers further estimated one in 10 respiratory illnesses in children in the U.S. can be attributed to HMPV.

Despite the rising cause for concern, vaccine immunology expert Professor John Tregoning insisted HMPV is not a new threat.

Tregoning explained: "HMPV is not a new virus; it was first isolated in 2001 but most likely has been circulating for much longer."

And Professor Jill Carr, a virologist at Flinders University, added: "This is very different from the COVID-19 pandemic, where the virus was completely new in humans."