According to WHO, HMPV is a common respiratory virus, although not all countries routinely test and publish data on trends in HMPV .

A six-month-old baby was the eighth case of Human metapneumovirus (HMPV). HMPV occurs through respiratory droplets, direct contact with contaminated surfaces, or close interaction with an infected individual.

Cases are climbing in China, but the situation is very different from when COVID-19 emerged five years ago, medical experts say. HMPV is common and decades old.

India confirmed its first cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in children, with a total of seven cases reported as of Tuesday. The cases were reported in Bengaluru, Nagpur, Tamil Nadu and Ahmedabad,

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,

WHO said, ‘Human metapneumovirus, hMPV is not a new virus’, adding that it generally spreads in winter and spring.