As China experiences a rise in respiratory infections this winter, one little-known virus has gotten a lot of attention – and some people may worry whether the rise in cases could be felt more broadly around the world.

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.

In a world still reeling from the echoes of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials in the United States have raised concerns about a growing outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) potentially mirroring past crises.