As China experiences a rise in respiratory infections this winter, one little-known virus has gotten a lot of attention – and some people may worry whether the rise in cases could be felt more broadly around the world.

Cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and other seasonal viruses are on the rise across the northern hemisphere in early 2025, according to the World Health Organization. While news reports and social media videos have caused concern about a potential HMPV outbreak in China,

Recently, there has been a lot of attention on the increase in cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. Some are concerned about the safety of travelling to China and there are even claims about “unknown virus in China” circling on the internet.

Human metapneumovirus cases have been on the rise in the UK following fears of a surge in northern China leading to Covid comparisons - now the World Health Organisation has released a statement

HMPV is a respiratory virus identified in 2001, affecting mainly young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. It causes sympto

Plenty of viruses are having their strongest season for years. But experts have urged calm about HMPV, which is not a new disease — even if you've never heard about it.

As cases of the HMPV virus continue to increase in the U.S. and in China, here's what you need to know about the virus.

While we're already dealing with surges of COVID-19, the flu and RSV (plus norovirus, of course), we can add HMPV to the mix. HMPV, short for human metapneumovirus, is seeing big upticks in China and India right now.