Viral video showing HMPV chaos at China hospital raises alarm. Is human metapneumovirus a new virus?
HMPV virus in China is being monitored by several countries.
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HMPV infections have been documented nationwide in China as the government has ramped up screening, identification and isolation procedures to address unidentified infections. Various videos on social media depicted a scary scene at hospitals, with individuals wearing masks crammed into waiting areas. Frightening videos show patients coughing at the hospitals amid a spike in respiratory illness. Officials have said that China seen an increase in HMPV cases, particularly among children under the age of 14 in northern areas, reported news agency Reuters.
ALSO READ: HMPV virus cases rising across the world: Symptoms, treatment, diagnosis and everything else you should know
How's the HMPV outbreak situation in China?
In light of the fact that incidences of certain respiratory illnesses are expected to increase over the winter, China's disease control authority had earlier announced on December 27 that it was testing a monitoring system for pneumonia of 'unknown origin'. According to an official statement, Reuters reported that data for acute respiratory disorders revealed a rise in total infections for the week of December 16–22.
A video is making rounds on social media showing hospitals in China overwhelmed amid severe flu outbreak, including influenza A and HMPV,
