Another disease outbreak hits China as hospitals become overwhelmed

Hospitals in China are currently grappling with a mysterious outbreak, causing a surge in respiratory illnesses and prompting citizens to don nose masks for protection.

Local media reports identify the virus as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a pathogen known for causing mild, cold-like symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, and wheezing. 

This outbreak draws parallels to the winter of 2022-2023, when China faced a wave of mycoplasma pneumonia cases — a condition nicknamed “white lung.” Experts linked that outbreak to reduced immunity in children due to prolonged lockdowns and school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, official reports from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that seasonal flu may be the primary driver of the current outbreak. Data reveals that 30 percent of recent tests were positive for influenza, and one in seven hospitalizations for severe respiratory illness tested positive for the flu.

The Chinese CDC has also noted a general rise in flu-like illnesses. For the week ending December 29, 7.2 percent of outpatient visits in northern provinces were related to flu-like symptoms — a 12 percent increase from the previous week and the highest rate recorded for the same period since 2021. In southern regions, 5.7 percent of outpatient visits were due to flu-like illnesses, marking a 21 percent rise from the prior week.

Reports from Aboluowang News, a US-based media outlet covering China, included a statement from a farmer in Hunan province, identified as Mr. Peng. 

He described the overwhelming hospital conditions and claimed that several deaths had occurred recently: “A lot of people have caught colds, and most of them are sick. About seven or eight people died this week in this area, some in their 40s, 50s, and even up to their 80s,” he said.

A funeral director, referred to as Ms. Wang, reportedly confirmed an increased demand for cremations. “‘There are long lines for cremation now,’ she said in translated quotes. ‘Today, three VIP furnaces were opened.

“They were all burning and emitting a lot of smoke. It was terrible. If you don’t know about the crematorium, you would think it is selling New Year goods, just like holding a trade fair during the Chinese New Year.’