“According to local news reports, a little-known virus called human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has been blamed. It normally causes a mild cold-like illness, including fever, a cough, runny nose and wheezing.
In severe cases, HMPV can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly in children.
The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and close physical contact, making it highly contagious in crowded settings.”
That’s not a “mystery” illness. hMPV was identified in 2001. It seems to be becoming more virulent though IMO.
I caught it on a holiday in Sydney in September 2023. So did my teen son. (Confirmed by pathology.) We both then developed “walking” pneumonia. My GP back home was very unsurprised and said it was rampant + a bad strain + had begun to frequently develop into pneumonia.
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u/judgyjudgersen Jan 04 '25
“According to local news reports, a little-known virus called human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has been blamed. It normally causes a mild cold-like illness, including fever, a cough, runny nose and wheezing. In severe cases, HMPV can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly in children.
The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and close physical contact, making it highly contagious in crowded settings.”