Virus outbreak in China fuels fear of Corona 2.0!

Beijing (China) - The outbreak of a new virus in China is bringing back bad memories of coronavirus .

In China, the number of respiratory infections has recently risen significantly. (archive picture)
In China, the number of respiratory infections has recently risen significantly. (archive picture)  © Ng Han Guan/AP/dpa

A good five years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, images on social media once again show overcrowded hospitals in a country with a population of 1.5 billion.

According to various media reports, the Chinese healthcare system has been struggling with an increasing number of HMPV infections since the turn of the year.

"HMPV" is the abbreviation for "human metapneumovirus", which can cause flu-like symptoms such as coughing, fever or respiratory symptoms in those affected.

Similar to corona, HMPV also belongs to the family of RNA viruses and spreads when the infected person coughs or sneezes (droplet infection). The virus was first discovered in 2001 and there is currently no vaccine.

However, no official alarm has yet been sounded. A report by the international news agency Reuters states that the Chinese health authorities are currently working on a system to monitor a lung disease of "unknown origin".

HMPV: Rising number of cases before Christmas

Since the coronavirus pandemic, the world has looked to China with concern when a virus breaks out there. (symbolic image)
Since the coronavirus pandemic, the world has looked to China with concern when a virus breaks out there. (symbolic image)  © Daniel Karmann/dpa

According to data from the National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), the number of cases of respiratory infections rose significantly in the week before Christmas.

Infection with HMPV was particularly common in the northern regions of China. Children under the age of 14 are particularly affected.

Developments are also being closely monitored in China's neighboring countries, but without spreading panic.

A spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of Health said: "There has been news about the outbreak of metapneumovirus in China, but this virus is like any other respiratory virus that causes colds. It could cause flu-like symptoms in the very old and very young people," as reported by theHindustan Times on Saturday.