China is currently experiencing a HMPV outbreak, but Beijing has stated that respiratory infections are "less severe" and "smaller in scale" than last year.The Covid-19 pandemic was more severe than the HMPV virus outbreak, an expert explained today.
Professor Jill Carr, a virologist, reassures that the outbreak of HMPV in China is not likely to cause another pandemic. The virus is similar to Covid in that it spreads through droplet particles in the air.
These can come from coughing, sneezing, or from being left on surfaces.HMPV symptoms include a cough, fever, and a blocked or runny nose.
While social media photos from across China show crowded waiting rooms and hospital wards, Beijing urges that respiratory infections aren't as bad as the previous year.