Top British virus experts have called on Chinese authorities to disclose vital information about a worrying outbreak of the respiratory infection hMPV, which is reported to be overwhelming its hospitals.
The UK authorities ‘need more information on the specific strain circulating’ in order to accurately assess the threat to the British public, warned virus expert Dr Andrew Catchpole.
It comes as cases of the infection — which features cold-like symptoms — rise across the UK, with graphs showing doubling in numbers over the last month.
Currently, as many as one in 20 cases of respiratory infections could be due to the infection, which is known as human metapneumovirus (hMPV), according to the latest UK surveillance data.
‘hMPV is usually detected in the winter periods but it does seem that the rates of serious infection may be higher in China than what we would expect in a normal year,’ said Dr Catchpole, who is Chief Scientific Officer at infectious disease testing firm hVIVO.
‘We need more information on the specific strain that is circulating to start to understand if this is the usual circulating strains or if the virus causing high infection rates in China has some differences.’
He added: ‘It is unclear just how high the numbers are or if issues are arising purely due to coinciding with high flu and Covid levels.’
Promisingly, Dr Catchpole noted that while hMPV ‘does mutate and change over time with new strains emerging’, it is ‘not a virus considered to have pandemic potential’.
Speaking to MailOnline, multiple experts urged Brits not to panic, as the vast majority of infections cause ‘mild, cold-like symptoms’.
However, for those with compromised immune systems — very young children, the elderly and those with certain underlying conditions — the infection could lead to more serious disease.
‘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,’ warned Jaya Dantas, a professor of international health at Curtin University in Australia.
‘We need to use a cautious and measured approach, as we know so much more since the Covid pandemic.’
Beijing has downplayed footage of overcrowded waiting rooms and wards posted on social media, saying respiratory infections are ‘less severe’ and ‘smaller in scale’ compared to last year.
That has led some to fear there are similarities with the current situation and the Covid outbreak in 2019, which was initially minimised by China.
Although British experts have remarked that the scenes in Chinese hospitals appear little different to that of UK healthcare at this time of year.
