Experts say China needs to release official figures despite them playing down the mystery virus sweeping across the country and even causing a lockdown in Wuhan – similar to Covid
Experts fear China might be ‘downplaying’ the mystery virus(Image: Ganjingworld)
Some experts are claiming China is downplaying the figures on their ‘mystery illness,’ which is overwhelming hospitals and even causing a lockdown in Wuhan.
Rising cases of a viral illness named HMPV have surged across northern China, with India also reporting hospitalisations. The condition, officially named human metapneumovirus, is similar to Covid and causes symptoms include coughing, a fever, nasal congestion and fatigue. It can be fatal for infants and children, people with other health conditions and the elderly – and cases are continuing to escalate.
The virus was described as a mystery initially, but it’s widely reported the respiratory illness was discovered more than 20 years ago. While there is a news of a huge surge across China, professionals in the west claim the figures might be “downplayed” by China, and the risk could be huge for European nations. While the country is on ‘high alert,’ they say there is nothing to worry about. Some say this mirrors the beginning of Covid in 2019, when China initially downplayed the condition.
HMPV causes symptoms of Covid(Image: Getty Images)
UK data for HMPV shows an increase in recent weeks with numbers of infections slightly higher than in winter last year. Cases of HMPV were first recorded in the UK in 2001 with an average of four cases per week being detected via PCR tests.
Footage from a YouTube news report by Decoding China show scenes of hospitals flooded with patients, with all paediatric beds taken. Adding to this, they claim there is a huge growth in fatalities, especially among children.
The news claimed: “Hospitals and crematoriums across China are overwhelmed, funeral homes are springing up like mushrooms.” Dr Sanjaya Senanayake, an infectious disease expert from The Australian National University, said it was “vital for China to share its data on this outbreak in a timely manner”.
He added: “Also, we will need genomic data confirming that HMPV is the culprit, and that there aren’t any significant mutations of concern. Such genomic data will also guide vaccine development.” The expert is particularly keen to hear which demographic is mostly being infected.
Footage shows inside Chinese hospitals(Image: Ganjingworld)
The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says it is “monitoring” the situation in China after reporting a spike in cases. However, despite reports fatalities are rising and China is insisting the situation is far less severe than Covid.
Dr Andrew Catchpole, chief scientific officer at the infectious disease biotech hVIVO, thinks the cases seem higher than usual. He said: “It does seem that the rates of serious infection may be higher in China than what we would expect in a normal year.”
Adding to this, China has officially closed some schools and encouraged a mini lockdown. Although Chinese officials initially played down the virus, now schools in Wuhan – widely recognised as the coronavirus’ birthplace – have been shut.
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