Brits must stay alert to the hidden symptoms of a potentially dangerous flu-like virus that has already caused chaos in China, experts warned today.
Cases of the infection human metapneumovirus (HMPV) have surged across northern Chinese provinces in recent days, mainly among children.
And MailOnline can reveal that the bug, which can prove fatal in the most vulnerable, is already on British shores – and is rising in prevalence.
The most recent data from the UK reveals a surge in virus cases, reminiscent of the chaotic scenes in Chinese hospitals during the early stages of the Covid outbreak. This surge is more significant than what was experienced at the same period last year.
UK cases of HMPV first emerged in 2001, with now roughly just four cases per week detected by PCR tests in winter, on average.
However, experts are now warning that a potentially unnoticed increase might be occurring. This is because the virus can remain latent in the body for several days before manifesting recognizable symptoms, leading to unwitting transmission.
However, they warned that the spike in cases ‘should not cause undue concern’.
HMPV typically displays symptoms akin to those of a common cold, such as coughing, congestion, a runny nose, a scratchy throat, and fever, but these usually resolve within approximately five days.
The above is a grab from a video posted online claiming to show an overwhelmed hospital unit in China
Experts have cautioned the virus itself — like the flu — can lurk in the body for days before causing tell-tale symptoms, too
The above graph shows the proportion of visits to hospital for flu-like illness in northern provinces in China by week. The red line is for 2024 – 2025 flu season, and shows levels are at their highest since 2021
But more severe symptoms such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia can occur, with sufferers experiencing a shortness of breath, severe cough or wheezing.
Experts urged Brits to be cautious of flu-like symptoms over fears it could instead actually be HMPV.
Professor John Tregoning, an expert in vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, said: It has very similar symptoms — in children at least — to RSV.
‘It is part of the cocktail of winter viruses that we are exposed to and like other viruses it will transmit in coughs, sneezes and in droplets.
‘Protecting yourself by being in well ventilated spaces, covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands will all help.’
Similar to the advice related to Covid and RSV, those infected must ‘rest, stay hydrated and try not to spread it to others’, he added.
‘If you do feel very unwell go to your GP. As it is a virus, antibiotics won’t have any effect.’
Unlike Covid, there is no vaccine yet or specific antiviral treatment for HMPV and treatment primarily involves managing symptoms.
The above are clips from videos claiming to show overwhelmed hospitals in China
Jaya Dantas, a professor of international health at Curtin University in Australia added: ‘We need to use a cautious and measured approach, as we know so much more since the Covid pandemic.
‘We need to get tested, stay home and away from others if having an infection, wear a mask in public and protect our most vulnerable.
‘In young children, the elderly and those who are immune compromised, HMPV can lead to severe cases and can move to the lower respiratory tract and may lead to pneumonia.’
Other experts, however, cautioned that the rise in cases ‘is not something that should cause undue concern’.
Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, added: ‘HPMV has been known about since 2001, and has been circulating in humans for at least 50 years — probably a lot longer.
‘Unfortunately, it is associated with pneumonia, particularly in young children, but this is thankfully rare.’
Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, also told MailOnline: ‘Almost every child will have at least one infection with HMPV by their fifth birthday and we can expect to go on to to have multiple reinfections throughout life.
‘It is one of the leading viral causes of respiratory infections in children under 5 years.
‘In England we have seen a fairly marked increase in recent weeks.’
However, he added: ‘One of the issues involved in these types of infection is that they are being diagnosed more frequently, so it is not always easy to know whether year on year increases are due to actual increases or just because we are diagnosing a greater proportion of infections.’
Health officials in Beijing have downplayed the developments as an annual winter occurrence.
But the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that rates of multiple flu-like illnesses are on the rise.
In its latest report, for the week to December 29, data suggested that 7.2 per cent of outpatient visits to local hospitals in northern provinces were due to a flu-like illness.
This was up 12 per cent on the previous week, and above the levels for the same week every flu season since 2021.
Data for the southern part of the country suggested that 5.7 per cent of outpatient visits were due to flu-like illness.
This was up 21 per cent on the previous week, and also above the level’s for the same week in 2021 when 4.1 per cent of visits were due to flu-like illness.
It was, however, below the levels in 2022 and 2023.
The UK itself is currently battling its own tidal wave of flu. Surveillance programmes that monitor England’s outbreak suggest flu hospital admissions are quadruple that of a month ago.
Figures show more than 4,500 beds alone were taken up by flu patients every day last week, up 3.5 times on the same week last year.
Of these, 211 were in critical care — up 69 per cent on the previous week.
Experts also said they expect ‘things to get worse before they get better’ given more people have socialised indoors over the Christmas and the New Year period.
