Doctors say a killer virus most people have never heard of - with the same symptoms as Covid - is on the rise. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has similar symptoms to Covid and flu causing a cough, runny nose or nasal congestion.
It has become as common as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the last four years and can cause lethal pneumonia. It is the second most common cause of respiratory infections in children behind RSV, reports The Mirror.
Dr John Williams, a paediatrician at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said: "It's the most important virus you've never heard of. Those (RSV, flu and HMPV) are the three major viruses. Those are the big three in kids and adults, the most likely to put people in the hospital and cause severe disease, most likely to sweep through nursing homes and make older people really sick and even kill them."
Most people who catch HMPV have no idea as testing outside of hospitals is rare. Symptoms of the virus include a runny nose, sore throat, cough and wheezing.
More severely, it can cause difficulty breathing, hoarseness, cough, pneumonia; and in adults, aggravation of asthma, also has been reported.
Most people recover within about seven to 10 days. However, people with weakened immune systems, asthma, or respiratory conditions may develop serious illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
In the USA, cases of HMPV soared earlier this year. 11% of samples tested were positive for HMPV - up from 7% before 2019.
