VOA Mandarin: China's winter surge of flu-like HMPV cases raises concerns of transparency
Voice of America
FILE - A medical worker administers a dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 to an elderly resident, during a government-organized visit to a vaccination center in Zhongmin village on the outskirts of Shanghai, Dec. 21, 2022.
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) has recently spread widely across China, overwhelming hospitals and evoking memories of the COVID-19 outbreak. HMPV is not a new virus; it has been known for years and typically has a low mortality rate. Nevertheless, epidemiologists are calling for greater transparency about the spread of the virus to help contain infections. While the health care system is under strain, experts stress that there is no need for panic. They recommend the public follow basic protective measures, particularly during the Spring Festival travel period, to help curb further spread of the virus.
Workers uncover five extensive trackways that formed part of a “dinosaur highway,” at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire, England, in this undated photo released Jan. 2, 2025. A newly uncovered dinosaur footprint is seen at Dewars Farm Quarry, in Oxfordshire, England, in this undated photo provided by Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the University of Birmingham on Jan. 2, 2025.