Five years after the first outbreak of Covid-19, China faces yet another wave of respiratory viruses; human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, has become the most prevalent. The virus reportedly spreads very fast, and many hospitals and crematories have become too crowded to handle the situation. Videos are going around on social media showing how hospitals have been overwhelmed, and some sources even indicate that not just one but multiple viruses-including influenza A, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, HMPV, and even Covid-19-are piling on.
Although there have been rumors that China has declared a state of emergency, it is not confirmed by officials. HMPV, which causes flu-like symptoms or those similar to Covid-19, has become a focal point for health authorities who are closely monitoring its spread.
The situation was perhaps best put in a post shared widely on social media from the account "SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19)" : "China is seeing viruses like Influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Covid-19 on the rise. Hospitals and crematoriums are full. Children's hospitals in particular suffer from the increased number of cases with pneumonia and so-called 'white lung'.".
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention answered that it intends to pilot a pneumonia monitoring system of unknown cause. The new system will hopefully provide the country with better preparedness in combating emerging pathogens and fill in certain gaps in response observed at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The National Disease Control and Prevention Administration has been putting into place elaboration of the procedure for the simplification of laboratory reporting and verification through agencies that handle the control of diseases. During a news conference late last week, officials confirmed a rise in respiratory infections during the period between December 16 and 22, especially within northern provinces.
Kan Biao, a senior health official warned that this winter and the following spring will be more prone to respiratory infections. However, he mentioned that caseloads for this year will be lower compared to the last year. Notably, the infection by rhinovirus and HMPV has showed upward tendency in the country especially in the children below 14 years of age.
In an interview with National Business Daily, a respiratory expert from a Shanghai hospital warned against the misuse of antiviral medications for HMPV. The expert added that there is no vaccine for HMPV, and its symptoms often appear just like a common cold.
As the situation unfolds, it would be observed that China has developed a dedicated tracking system for the respiratory illness aspect, and the entire preparedness towards early detection and readiness against emergent viruses.