The Union Health Ministry said on Friday that it was closely monitoring the alleged outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. The Ministry maintained that while China had reported a rise in respiratory illness, particularly HMPV, India hadn’t registered any unusual spike in winter respiratory diseases.

Five years after the COVID pandemic, China is experiencing a surge in HMPV cases, particularly in children under 14 years of age. Symptoms include cough, fever, and shortness of breath, with potential complications like bronchitis and pneumonia. The country has seen cases rise in its northern provinces, Reuters had reported. Cases of HMPV had been reported in 2011-12 in the U.S., Canada, and Europe