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

News that northern China is seeing a surge of the respiratory illness called human metapneumovirus (HMPV), bringing an uptick in hospitalizations, is sparking a bit of anxious déjà vu on social media.

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.

China’s winter illness season is less severe compared to the year before, according to data from its health authority. But the proliferation of a long-standing though little-known pathogen called human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has been raising alarm both at home and in other countries.

As cases of the HMPV virus continue to increase in the U.S. and in China, here's what you need to know about the virus.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a flu-like virus spreading in China, has been detected in the U.S. Here’s what you need to know about symptoms and treatment.

A rise in cases of human metapneumovirus in China is stoking fears of a new health crisis, though authorities and experts say prospects for a sequel to the COVID-19 pandemic are remote. The big picture: HMPV is similar to respiratory syncytial virus,