HMPV outbreak: Ghost of Covid-19 pandemic haunts after China sees surge in infections

Hands chapped, people locked inside their homes. This is a memory of the Covid-19 pandemic that has remained entrenched in the psyches of many across the world. Now, another virus has come knocking on the door of India, with seven cases of HMPV – two in Bengaluru, one in Ahmedabad, one in Chennai and Salem and two in Nagpur. China has seen a surge in HMPV infections. The traces of fear and mass graves which were seen in several nations have led people to jump into panic mode this time. They are drawing similarities and mentally preparing themselves for the worst-case scenario even when the government has assured people that there is no reason to worry.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Covid-19 virus led to 5,33, 316 deaths in India.

In the various waves of the pandemic, came waves of isolation, devastation and death. According to the National Institute of Health, several studies have highlighted the long-term fear and psycho-social impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Now, with an increase in the number of HMPV cases, people are alarmed and scared, as if the doom’s day was around the corner.

People on the internet are drawing similarities between the two viruses and the two years that they were spread in, 2020 and 2025. The similarities were drawn in the timeframe, country of origin, some symptoms and how it can change people’s lives.

This is despite the Indian government’s assurance that this virus is not new as Coronavirus was back then.

HMPV typically affects the respiratory system, with common symptoms such as sore throat, fever, nasal congestion, cough, and shortness of breath. Only in severe cases can it lead to pneumonia or bronchiolitis, requiring hospitalisation and oxygen therapy.

SIMILARITIES DRAWN BETWEEN THE TWO VIRUSES

The first similarity was drawn in how hospitals have been overwhelmed again in China. This is similar to the Coronavirus outbreak in 2019-2020.

“Hospitals in China are overwhelmed by severe “flu” outbreak, including influenza A and HMPV, resembling the 2020 COVID surge,” wrote a person on X.

People also want to be ready for what comes next.

“Social media has been flooded with videos of crowded hospitals. If this virus is highly contagious, then India should be highly cautious taking a lesson from the Covid pandemic,” stated another person.

The HMPV virus originated in China, just as Coronavirus did, and was not lost on people.

“3 cases of #HMPV Virus reported in infants in India so far, two in Bengaluru,Ahmedabad, Karnataka. Cases of novel coronavirus (nCoV) were first detected in China in December 2019 -2020. Both Covid-19 and HMPV’s spread started in the rest of the world around the month of December-January,” the person wrote on X.

They even discussed how the spread of HMPV is also during the months of December-January and is around the same time as China conducts trade fairs.

Last time, it had to postpone the Singapore Airshow to League of Legends Pro in 2020, reported Reuters. Even now, China is set to hold important trade fairs.

People even drew comparisons with how Italy had been the next to get hit by the pandemic and what could happen this time.

Then came the comparisons of symptoms of the two viruses.

“Most cases are mild, but young children, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for serious illness. HMPV is common – most people get it before they turn 5. There is no vaccine currently to address this. Good to be watchful. Its already spreading in Japan. Now with the New Year travel a Chinese New Year (29th Jan), Asia has to be vary,” wrote Saikiran Kannan on X.

Next in line in these similarities were people who discussed more cases in Bengaluru, which might again lead to a hybrid form of work.

“Will There Be Another Lockdown In India As HMPV Cases Detected In Countries After China?,” asked a person on X.

“Work from Home again, is that possible,” wrote a person on X.

People even took it so far to compare that both these years started with Wednesday.

“Even 2020 started with a Wednesday. We are cooked,” a person wrote on X.

While the government has assured people that there is nothing to worry about, people are scared to go back into lockdown and the fear that surrounds it and the result is, drawing similarities to prepare themselves for another virus, which so far does not call for such fear.