Social media videos appear to show Chinese hospitals being overwhelmed by the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak.
Social media videos appear to show Chinese hospitals being overwhelmed by the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak. According to social media posts, various viral outbreaks in China have resulted in congested hospitals and cemeteries. Along with HMPV, they are influenza A, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Covid-19.
The prospect of another pandemic, five years after Covid-19 brought life to a halt, has sparked alarm online. However, it is worth noting that no reputable report has corroborated these posts.
Chinese health officials and the World Health Organization (WHO) have not acknowledged the emergence of a new epidemic or issued any warnings to the public to exercise caution. The WHO has not declared an emergency, as has been widely speculated.
One undated video appears to show a hospital’s waiting area packed with patients. Many people were seen wearing masks in the footage, while others coughed. The video was shared on X, with a caption indicating that it was shot in China.
Another viral picture on X with 12 million views depicts a group of elderly individuals in a hospital corridor. Hospitals across China are facing extreme strain as surges in “influenza A” and “human metapneumovirus” bring back memories of the COVID-19 peak from three years ago, according to the post.
What is the human metapneumovirus?
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a virus that produces symptoms similar to a cold. Young children, the elderly, and those with impaired immune systems are most vulnerable.
This respiratory virus can cause symptoms comparable to the common cold, such as cough, fever, and nasal congestion, as well as more serious respiratory problems like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
HMPV, like Covid-19, spreads through respiratory droplets created when an infected individual coughs or sneezes. The virus can also be transmitted by coming into contact with surfaces that have been infected.
