Another Covid-19 like pandemic in the making? HMPV, China's mystery illness, has already struck UK with alarming proportions

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV), which is reportedly on the rise in China, has now started to spread in the UK, according to a report on the Daily Star.

Human metapneumovirus or hMPV cases rose to 4.5 per cent. Apart from this, children aged under 5 years had hMPV at 10 per cent during December 23 and December 29, Daily Star reported quoting a study from gov.uk.

This comes at a time when other influenza strains -- Parainfluenza, Adenovirus, and Rhinovirus -- have shown declining trends in the UK, the Daily Star report shows.



China's diseases control authority said on December 27 that it was piloting a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin, with cases of some respiratory diseases expected to rise through the winter, Reuters reported.


The move to establish a dedicated system is aimed at helping authorities set up protocols to handle unknown pathogens, in contrast to the lower level of preparedness five years ago when the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 first emerged, as per a Reuters report.


The National Disease Control and Prevention Administration will establish a procedure for laboratories to report and for disease control and prevention agencies to verify and handle cases, state broadcaster CCTV reported, quoting an administration official at a news conference.

FAQs

Q1. What are major strains of influenza?
A1. Major influenza strains are Parainfluenza, Adenovirus, and Rhinovirus.

Q2. What is the name of new virus?
A2. Human metapneumovirus (hMPV).