In the last few weeks, there has been much international talk surrounding the spread of a respiratory virus called HMPV in Northern China. If this is giving you major flashbacks, you’re not the only one. 👀
To find out whether this is something we should be worried about in the Netherlands, Hans Kluge from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans have weighed in on the matter.
What is the HMPV virus?
As the NOS writes, HMPV stands for human metapneumovirus. This respiratory virus usually causes mild symptoms similar to those from a cold or the flu and spreads in the same ways as common diseases.
In some cases, however, HMPV can lead to more serious complications, including pneumonia. This is especially true for children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems.
Known by the scientific community since 2001, the virus has been circulating for years, including in the Netherlands. Currently, there is no vaccine against it.
Is it true that China’s cases are worryingly high?
Since late 2024, videos of crowded Chinese hospitals and waiting rooms have been circulating online, spreading concern that China is facing a worryingly high number of HMPV cases.
While the footage cannot be verified, on December 27, 2024, Chinese authorities did confirm that HMPV infections among children were increasing.
However, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has stated that the total number of HMPV cases in 2024 was lower than in 2023, and that the recent rise in infections is in line with the typical winter peak exhibited by respiratory viruses.
According to WHO Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization is working closely with Chinese authorities, exchanging information and offering support in monitoring the situation.
Amid reports of rising wintertime respiratory infections in China – including human metapneumovirus #HMPV – and the impact on the health system there, 🇨🇳 health authorities say the scale and intensity remain lower than around this time a year ago.@WHO’s China Country Office and…
— Hans Kluge (@hans_kluge) January 4, 2025
Is HMPV spreading to the Netherlands?
According to Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans, while the lack of reliable information complicates assessing the situation in China, the Netherlands is definitely not facing an unusual or worrying situation.
“Here, GPs register the viruses that their patients are infected with. HMPV is also monitored. So far, we have not seen anything remarkable. These are diseases that we have known about for quite some time,” she tells the NOS.
She further explains that HMPV, along with more common respiratory infections such as the flu and COVID, appears every winter.
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