Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia notes that almost every child contracts HMPV by five years of age, with reinfections occurring throughout life. “HMPV typically causes cold-like symptoms that recover by themselves within 2 to 5 days. Severe cases are rare but can occur in vulnerable groups,” he says.

A surge in cases of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has prompted some alarm and led to fears of a possible new pandemic

India TV’s claims that HMPV is a mysterious virus, or speculation that a new virus may have arisen out of China, are false.