Have you recently been ill? This virus may be to blame

COVID-19 is a virus that people have become very familiar with over the past three years. However, there is a lesser known virus that has also made people sick.

Cases of human metapneumovirus, also known as HMPV, jumped significantly this spring. In March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly 20% of antigen tests were positive for the virus. It’s unclear what’s behind the spike in cases, but the virus is generally known to peak during the winter and spring months. It has since fallen sharply. In the second week of May, only 2% of antigen tests came back positive for HMPV.

What is HMPV?

Unlike COVID-19, HMPV is not a new virus. It was discovered in 2001 by Dutch scientists. Symptoms of the virus are generally similar to those of other respiratory viruses, including cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath, the CDC says. Health officials warn that the virus can progress to bronchitis or pneumonia.

HMPV treatment

There are currently no approved antiviral therapies to treat HMPV. There’s also no vaccine to prevent people from getting the virus in the first place.

The CDC advises people with HMPV to wash their hands frequently, cover their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid personal contact with others.

Health officials say the virus will generally run its course in about a week, like other respiratory viruses.

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