What is really behind the mystery new virus gripping China and the world

First things first: unlike Covid-19, what is happening in China is not a new virus, it is human metapneumovirus (HMPV), an “old” virus that was discovered in the Netherlands in 2001. In fact, most people will contract it before they reach five years of age – researchers estimate that around 10-12 per cent of respiratory illnesses in children are caused by HMPV. It’s also not as infectious as coronavirus (its incubation period is three to six days) nor, despite the images that are coming out from China, as severe.
Patients receive infusion therapy at a hospital in Shanghai amid a spike in respiratory illnesses
Patients receive infusion therapy at a hospital in Shanghai amid a spike in respiratory illnesses (VCG/Getty)

Mortality rates are much lower and symptoms are primarily a cough, fever, nasal congestion and fatigue. However, while most cases are mild, it can sometimes cause lower respiratory infections like pneumonia and, more commonly, agitate a flare-up in conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – and there is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment for HMPV.

Unsurprisingly, cases of HMPV rise more rapidly in the winter and spring each year – which experts are keenly emphasising. In the UK, it’s not hard to notice that even the hardiest among us seem to be falling prey to “whatever is doing the rounds”.

And it really has been a particularly harsh and sickly winter so far. Although the latest government statistics show that last week the hospital admission rate for Covid-19 was the lowest of the same period for any winter post-pandemic, there has been a rapid onset of other viral illnesses, namely influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), diarrhoea and vomiting and norovirus.