Northern provinces in China have been hit with a surge of HMPV infections in the last three weeks. This has forced the centre for disease control (CDC) to warn the public to wear masks and avoid crowds. But claims of overwhelmed hospitals and fears of another pandemic that have been spreading on social media appear unsubstantiated.

China’s winter illness season is less severe compared to the year before, according to data from its health authority. But the proliferation of a long-standing though little-known pathogen called human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has been raising alarm both at home and in other countries.