The main thing to know about HMPV is that it has been around for a long time, whereas Covid was a novel virus. HMPV was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001, nearly 25 years ago.

News of a respiratory virus spreading in China and footage of crowded hospitals have predictably led to panic, with concern that the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) may be COVID 2.0 for 2025.. Cases ...

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.

By comparison, 18.71% of weekly tests were positive for flu and 7.10% were positive for COVID during the same week, ... HMPV has an incubation period of three to six days, according to the CDC.

News outlets and social media posts have commented on the outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, suggesting that the little-known virus could cause a pandemic similar to COVID-19.

While cases are climbing in China, the situation is very different from what it was when Covid-19 emerged five years ago, medical experts say. HMPV has circulated in humans for decades.

Experts say the HMPV outbreak in China is not of major concern — it is neither a new, mystery illness nor responsible for as many cases as COVID or other infections even this season.

As cases of the HMPV virus continue to increase in the U.S. and in ... health officials say that the outbreak is not out of the ordinary and that the risk of another COVID-19 pandemic remains low.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently monitoring reports of a spike in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, as the US sees an increase in such cases.

With all respiratory illnesses, including flu, Covid, RSV and hMPV, sharing similar symptoms, how can you tell which one you've got? We look in detail at how the different symptoms compare ...