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.

WHO said, ‘Human metapneumovirus, hMPV is not a new virus’, adding that it generally spreads in winter and spring.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently monitoring reports of a spike in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, as the US sees an increase in such cases.

In the U.S., cases of HMPV remain low but have been steadily rising since Nov. 2024, as reported by the CDC. As of Dec. 28, 1.94% of weekly tests were positive for HMPV, an increase from 0.55% on Nov. 2.

The CDC’s actions come in response to China's government-run media confirming that positivity rates of HMPV hare rising in children under the age of 14, despite respiratory illnesses being down overall since last year.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) reported an uptick in common respiratory infections, including seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hMPV, and SARS-CoV-2,

As China continues to monitor an increase in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), here's what you need to know about the illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is a reported spike in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, and they are monitoring it closely.

In light of the news of a possible human metapneumovirus outbreak in China, officials talk to Newsweek about the risk to Americans.

US monitoring China cases as Bali steps up checks on flights from the country - Authorities in Bali have asked nationals from China and Malaysia to fill out a health pass three days before their arriv

The rise of the infection in China and reports of overwhelmed hospitals has prompted concerns about another pandemic similar to Covid-19, but experts say the risk is low