While cases are climbing in China, the situation is very different from what it was when Covid-19 emerged five years ago, medical experts say. HMPV is common and decades old.

The human metapneumovirus is reportedly surging in China, but should Americans be concerned? Here's what to know about HMPV symptoms and more.

Authorities in China said they are monitoring cases of human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, after a reported increase inside the country, according to Reuters. Although cases are increasing at a rapid rate,

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.

China has raised an alarm about another virus, five years after the Covid-19 pandemic, as it has now spread to other countries. Cases of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) involving infants – first, a three-month-old girl and later,