China gives major update on spread of HMPV infections

There has been a decline in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in northern provinces and in children under 14, China has said.

The spread of the respiratory virus has been causing concern, after images circulated of hospitals overrun with masked patients.

It led to speculation there could be lockdowns again in the UK, which saw people banned from even visiting their own famiies during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Experts sought to reassure this was unlikely, as the virus was discovered 20 years ago and has likely been circulating in humans for the last 60 years.

Wang Liping, of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a briefing by the National Health Commission: ‘At present, the rate of positive cases in human metapneumovirus detection is fluctuating.

‘The positive rate in northern provinces is going down and the positive rate among patients aged 14 and below has started to decline.’

She said the spread of respiratory diseases would not be as serious as that in the previous winter.

The World Health Organization said it has not received reports of unusual outbreaks in China or elsewhere.

HMPV is unlike Covid-19 in that it has been around for decades and there is some built-in immunity to it in populations. Most children are infected with the virus by the age of 5.

Wang said: ‘Human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus are both common pathogens that cause respiratory infections in winter, the symptoms include fever, cough, nasal congestion and runny nose after being infected.

‘Most symptom will disappear by itself. They can cause lower respiratory tract infections among children, the elderly and people with relatively weak immune function, and the rates of serious cases and deaths caused by both diseases are relatively low.’

Severe symptoms such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia can occur, especially in children, the elderly and the immunocompromised, in a similar way to flu also potentially causing serious complications.

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, which is the latest data available.

Prof Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at UEA, said: ‘In England we have seen a fairly marked increase in recent weeks.

‘So far the peak % positivity is a little over what it was this time last year so no major difference to usual, unless infections positivity rates continue to increase in coming weeks.

‘So overall, I don’t think there is currently any signs of a more serious global issue.’

Read our explainer on what the virus is and how worried we should be (not unduly, thankfully) here.

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