The rise of the mysterious hPMV virus in the UK is mainly affecting young children, who are among the most vulnerable to serious complications, official data suggests.
The infection sparked concerns last week after reports emerged showing that hospitals in China apparently overwhelmed by an hPMV outbreak.
Today, new figures show intriguing details of the simultaneous rise in the UK – which has seen cases double in just one month.
Virus surveillance data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that one in ten children tested for respiratory infections in hospital were positive for human metapneumovirus (hMPV) as of December 23.
This is more than double the proportion of very young children testing positive for hMPV at the end of November.
It comes like the NHS is already crumbling under a tidal wave of flu with cases quadrupling in one month.
Official data shows around 5,000 health service beds were occupied by flu patients at the end of the year, with the virus forming a ‘quademic’ of winter viruses putting pressure on NHS services alongside norovirus, RSV and Covid.
Experts also said they expected “things to get worse before they get better” Given recent cold weather, more people have been socializing indoors in recent years. Christmas and the New Year period.
Although hMPV primarily causes mild disease similar to coldvery young children, alongside the elderly and those with weakened immune systems such as cancer Patients are at increased risk of serious illness.
This includes serious and life-threatening respiratory complications like pneumonia.
Symptoms of hMPV infection are similar to those of the common cold or flu, such as cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and fever, with people who have it usually being sick for about five days.
hMPV spreads through tiny droplets that are expelled by infected people when they breathe, but to a much greater extent when they cough and sneeze.
Infection can occur when people come close by breathing in these droplets or by touching surfaces contaminated by them, such as doorknobs, and then touching their face or mouth.
People with hMPV can also spread the virus without suffering symptoms themselves, because they are still contagious before they start feeling sick.
It is for this reason that all Britons are urged to practice good hand hygiene, such as washing their hands regularly and properly, staying in well-ventilated spaces and trying to avoid others when ill in order to reduce the potential spread of hMPV.
A lack of hand hygiene, not covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and the habit of putting objects or hands in your mouth mean that young children are at higher risk of being exposed to respiratory droplets which can spread viruses like hMPV.
Experts have warned that hMPV, which produces flu-like symptoms, can hide in the body for days and can therefore be easily transmitted to others.
Playgroups where children mix and interact can also be fertile avenues for virus transmission, as toddlers often cough or sneeze freely when touching common objects.
Children and babies are considered more vulnerable to a host of droplet-borne respiratory infections, such as hMPV, because their immune systems are still developing.
Additionally, because the airways and lungs of very young children are very small, viruses that hinder our breathing can penetrate further, increasing the risk of complications.
China’s hMPV outbreak, which has led to disturbing images of crowded emergency rooms, has spread primarily among children.
Professor John Tregoning, expert in vaccine immunology at Imperial College Londonstated that when hMPV infects children, it resembles respiratory syncytial virus (VRS), a common winter bug that usually causes mild cold-like symptoms.
“It is part of the cocktail of winter viruses that we are exposed to and, like other viruses, it is transmitted through coughing, sneezing and through droplets,” he said.
“Protecting yourself by being in well-ventilated spaces, covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands will help,” Professor Tregoning said.
Similar to advice related to Covid and RSV, infected people should “rest, stay hydrated and try not to pass it on to others,” he added.
Professor Jaya Dantas, an international health expert at Curtin University in Australia, added: “In young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, hMPV can cause severe cases and spread to lower respiratory tract and lead to pneumonia. ‘
Other experts have warned, however, that the rise in cases in the UK “is not something that should cause undue concern” and that complications in children are rare.
Professor Jonathan Ball, virologist at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said: “hPMV has been known since 2001 and has been circulating in humans for at least 50 years – probably much longer.
“Unfortunately, this is associated with pneumoniaespecially in young children, but fortunately this is rare.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, also told MailOnline: ‘Almost all children will have at least one hMPV infection by their fifth birthday, and we can expect to have multiple reinfections throughout our lives.
“It is one of the leading viral causes of respiratory infections in children under five.”
Unlike Covid or the flu, there is no vaccine against hMPV.
Treatment primarily involves managing symptoms and supporting the patient while their body fights the infection.
The above are excerpts from videos purporting to show overwhelmed hospitals in China.
Dr Conall Watson, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said hMPV levels usually peak in Britain at this time of year and the data suggests the current spread is in line with expected thresholds.
He added: “As with all respiratory viruses, you can help reduce transmitted infections by washing your hands regularly, catching coughs and sneezes in tissues and throwing them away.
“If you have symptoms such as a high temperature, cough and feeling tired and achy, try to limit your contact with others, especially those who are vulnerable.
“There are many viruses circulating at the moment, including the flu. If you have symptoms of a respiratory illness and need to go out, we always advise you to consider wearing a face mask.”
Health civil servants in Beijing downplayed the developments in their hospitals as an annual winter event.
But the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that rates of multiple flu-like illnesses are increasing.
In his latest reportFor the week to December 29, data suggests that 7.2 percent of outpatient visits to local hospitals in the northern provinces were due to flu-like illness.
This is an increase of 12 percent from the previous week, and above levels seen for the same week each year. flu season since 2021.
Data for the southern part of the country suggests that 5.7 percent of outpatient visits were due to influenza-like illness.
This is an increase of 21 percent from the previous week, and also above levels for the same week in 2021, where the figure was 4.1 percent.
However, it is lower than the 2022 and 2023 levels.
Some British virus experts have called on Chinese authorities to release vital information about the hMPV outbreak.
British authorities “need more information about the specific strain that is circulating” in order to accurately assess the threat to the British public, virus expert Dr Andrew Catchpole warned.
“hMPV is usually detected during winter periods, but it appears that rates of serious infection are higher in China than would be expected in a normal year,” said Dr. Catchpole, chief scientific officer of infectious disease testing company hVIVO. .
“We need more information about the specific strain that is circulating to begin to understand whether these are the usual strains circulating or whether the virus causing high infection rates in China has some differences. “
He added: “It is not clear how high the figures are or whether problems are occurring purely because of the coincidence with high levels of flu and Covid.”
Promisingly, Dr. Catchpole noted that although hMPV “mutates and changes over time with the emergence of new strains,” it “is not a virus considered to have pandemic potential.”
