Reports of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a common respiratory illness that causes flu- and cold-like symptoms, are growing across the Northern Hemisphere, including in China, though neither the World Health Organization (WHO) nor the CDC have expressed alarm at this time.

The attention being paid to a Chinese outbreak of a virus often confused with flu is a sign that respiratory infection tracking is improving.

Human metapneumovirus virus in China has sparked fear of another pandemic almost five years after COVID-19.According to CNN, respiratory infections, HMPV, after an outbreak in China, have reached other countries,

Reports of overcrowded hospitals and people wearing masks have prompted comparisons with the outbreak of Covid five years ago, but human metapneumovirus is far from a mystery illness.

Most cases of HMPV are mild, but infection can increase health risks—particularly for the elderly, young children and people with low immunity. In extreme cases, it can lead to severe complications.