Direct translation
Panic spreads across China! Netizens’ posts revealing the truth were deleted—China's outbreak of "human metapneumovirus" infection: Scholars call for public disclosure of pathogen information to prevent mutation
Editor: Fang Xun / Source: Voice of America / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0110/2158085.html /
Image : Children wearing masks, accompanied by adults, wait for medical treatment at the pediatric department of a hospital in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, 6 January 2025. (AFP)
Taipei—
China has recently experienced a large-scale outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which has overcrowded some hospitals and caused social panic, reminiscent of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. Although the virus has put pressure on the medical system, epidemiologists stressed that the virus is not new and has a low mortality rate, and the public does not need to panic while strengthening basic protective measures. They also called on the authorities to disclose pathogen information and increase vigilance during the Spring Festival travel period to prevent the virus from mutating to prevent further spread of the virus.
According to the National Acute Respiratory Infectious Diseases Sentinel Surveillance Report released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 9 January 2025, in the first week of 2025, the pathogens tested positive for respiratory samples of influenza-like cases in outpatient and emergency departments of sentinel hospitals were mainly influenza viruses, human metapneumovirus and rhinovirus, among which "the positive rate of human metapneumovirus fluctuated at a high platform." Analysis shows that acute respiratory infectious diseases continue to show an overall upward trend. In December 2024, the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a reminder that the number of patients with respiratory infections in the respiratory outpatient clinics of local hospitals at all levels has increased significantly, which has attracted widespread attention.
Human metapneumovirus is a virus that can cause acute respiratory infections. It was first discovered in the Netherlands in 2001. Its common symptoms are similar to those of influenza, including cough, fever and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can cause complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Children under 5 years old, the elderly over 65 years old, and those with weak immune function are all high-risk groups for severe infections.
This is the peak season for respiratory viruses. In addition to HMPV, viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also have a high transmission rate. The increase in cases in the north is more obvious, reflecting the activity of the virus in the cold season.
In addition to CCP China, India has also seen an increase in HMPV cases since January 2025, with confirmed cases reported in Bangalore, Nagpur, Tamil Nadu and other places. In addition, Malaysia and Hong Kong have also reported related cases in recent days.
Online posts exacerbate panic
Posts by some netizens have exacerbated people's panic.
On 25 December 2024, a netizen named "Sunny Day" who is suspected to work in a hospital in Jiangsu posted: "One was sent away at five in the morning. This wave of viruses is very powerful. They are all pneumonia and respiratory failure. The transmission rate is not as high as that of COVID-19, but the mortality rate is much higher than that of COVID-19. There were 30 patients in our building, and now there are only 24 left..."
According to other netizens, this article was quickly deleted.
A netizen named "Staying Dreaming to Fly" from Shaanxi said: "My father went to Henan last week and came back. He had dizziness and fever and was hospitalized for pneumonia. Now he is gone."
A netizen named "Half Durian 520" from Liaoning said: "Since the COVID-19, everyone is very nervous. The outpatient clinics are full in December."
Beijing netizen "Lazy Fortune Niuniu" believes: "It is a new (virus), and this time it is highly contagious, similar to covid."
Beijing netizen "_Tattoo_" said: "Last year, my daughter was infected with human metapneumovirus, which was very serious. She had a repeated high fever of more than 40 for nine days and was hospitalized for seven days. There was no specific medicine. She could only take cough medicine for cough and antipyretics for fever."
Guangdong Daily reporter "Huang Yuanyuan" said: "My son was infected with human metapneumovirus and adenovirus this year (2024). The whole course of the disease was about half a month, and he was hospitalized for a week. The main symptoms were high fever and eye discomfort, and bronchitis."
At present, the actual impact of the HMPV epidemic is being further observed by relevant units. How to balance scientific prevention and control and social stability has become the focus of public attention.
The official Chinese Communist Party said that the prevention and control of HMPV has been strengthened, especially in public health prevention and control. Although the number of cases has increased, the current epidemic situation is milder than last winter. The public health department emphasizes strengthening hygiene habits and preventive measures to reduce the spread of the virus. In response to the increase in HMPV infections in China, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the number of respiratory infections reported in China is within the normal range for winter.
Experts analyze the various reasons for the spread of the virus and believe that it will not cause a pandemic
William Schaffner, a professor at the Prevention Hospital of the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, told VOA via email that HMPV, which was discovered in 2001, has been studied for many years, and the scientific and public health communities are very familiar with the virus and its spread among the population.
He said that HMPV, like other respiratory viruses such as influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is mainly prevalent in winter, partly because people tend to stay indoors more and have closer contact with others in the cold season, creating ideal conditions for the spread of respiratory viruses.
Schiffner told VOA: "HMPV will not lead to a global epidemic, but the number of cases in many countries will increase seasonally as usual in the winter. The average person can try to avoid contact with people who cough or sneeze, take social distance measures, such as avoiding crowded indoor activities, and wear a mask. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available for HMPV."
He mentioned that HMPV is currently spreading rapidly in many parts of the world, and the cases in China have attracted more attention, probably because "the more you test, the more cases you find."
Epidemiologist: HMPV has a lower mortality rate than covid, and its prevalence is not as wide as influenza
Du Chengzhe, attending physician and director of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Zhonggang Branch of Cheng Ching Hospital in Taichung, Taiwan, said in an interview with VOA that the biggest difference between HMPV and COVID-19 is its lower mortality rate. Although HMPV may cause complications such as pneumonia, the symptoms of most infected people are still similar to the common cold, and it will not cause large-scale deaths like COVID-19.
Du Chengzhe pointed out that HMPV has been detected in many countries and its prevalence is relatively stable. It may account for 10% of cold cases in normal times but people will not check it out when the symptoms are mild. He said that the cold climate in winter and densely populated areas, especially in China and India, may provide favourable conditions for its spread, leading to the outbreak.
He said: "A while ago, everyone was protected by vaccines, isolated, and wearing masks. If you have not been infected for a long time, this wave of (infection) will become very severe. Once the number of (confirmed) cases is large, pneumonia will also increase in proportion, which will impact local medical care. If many elderly and children are suddenly hospitalized in local medical care, it will definitely cause congestion or panic in the hospital."
Du Chengzhe said that the main virus prevalent in winter is still the influenza virus. Although HMPV has broken out in some areas, its influence is not as great as influenza.
Regarding the reasons for the recent large-scale HMPV cases in China, Dr. He Meixiang, an epidemiologist and honorary researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, analyzed that the cold winter in northern China, coupled with the recent economic downturn and social pressure, may be the reasons for the decline in human immunity and the accelerated spread of the virus from a scientific perspective.
He Meixiang also said that although the strict epidemic prevention during the COVID-19 epidemic in China blocked the spread of the disease, after the policy was relaxed, due to the decline in the level of herd immunity, it was easy to have "immune debt", resulting in a surge in cases in a short period of time.
Expert: To prevent HMPV mutation, information should be more transparent
The epidemiologist also worried that CCP China's information opacity may bring greater risks because even known viruses may bring new threats due to mutations.
He Meixiang told VOA: "International scholars will call on China to disclose information about the pathogen and do some research on the genes to confirm that it is not a new virus, because even old viruses may be new variants."
She emphasized that information transparency not only helps to improve international trust, but also effectively reduces the spread of rumours and panic and avoids unnecessary misunderstandings.
Scholars warn of the risk of virus transmission during the Spring Festival travel rush
Zhan Chang-quan, a distinguished professor at the Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, said that after experiencing the COVID-19 epidemic, China is more alert than in the past and should have enough energy to deal with the virus and monitor it.
Although the Chinese Communist Party officials predict that this wave of epidemic will not be more serious than last year, he emphasized that attention should still be paid to the development of the epidemic around the Chinese New Year, around the Lantern Festival, and in January and February.
Zhan Chang-quan said: "Especially as the Chinese New Year is coming soon, the population is dense, and the period of population mobility makes it easier for the virus to spread. There is no absolute pandemic of infectious diseases, no absolute safety, and no absolute unsafety. It is better to be careful."
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