Cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and other seasonal viruses are on the rise across the northern hemisphere in early 2025, according to the World Health Organization. While news reports and social media videos have caused concern about a potential HMPV outbreak in China,

China is experiencing a surge in infections of a respiratory virus, leading to public concerns about an outbreak. The virus, identified as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), has seen cases spiking across northern Chinese provinces this winter, particularly among children.

As China experiences a rise in respiratory infections this winter, one little-known virus has gotten a lot of attention – and some people may worry whether the rise in cases could be felt more broadly around the world.

China’s winter illness season is less severe compared to the year before, according to data from its health authority. But the proliferation of a long-standing though little-known pathogen called human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has been raising alarm both at home and in other countries.

In a world still reeling from the echoes of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials in the United States have raised concerns about a growing outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) potentially mirroring past crises.