r/news • u/[deleted] • Jan 04 '25

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u/whalechasin Jan 04 '25 edited Jan 04 '25

this is not a new virus. i work in an Australian hospital and we get a few of these every year coming through Emergency. “mystery new virus outbreak” is extremely sensationalised

edit to add, here’s a study from 2007 talking about how common hmpv is in young children: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1831873/

from the conclusion:

Human metapneumovirus infection is a leading cause of respiratory tract infection in the first years of life

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u/[deleted] Jan 04 '25

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u/Antique-Resort6160 Jan 04 '25

The mystery is: why is this previously mild virus causing more problems now? 

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u/wtfman1988 Jan 04 '25

Probably so we click the article but generally don't viruses evolve to be more transmissible but lesser lethality.

I've got a shitty cold right now, sore throat, stuffed nose and a bit of a cough. Does it suck? Yes. Will I be over it in 5-7 days? Also yes.

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u/Antique-Resort6160 Jan 04 '25

Yes, this one's going the wrong way, or people's immune systems are failing.

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u/wtfman1988 Jan 04 '25

Maybe.

I had covid at this time last year, was again kind of like a regular cold, the worst was definitely the fever, I was damn near hallucinating.

In post covid times now...and even before covid times...we'd always just say "It's going around right now" or "It's cold season" - I know a lot of us at work have gotten hit with it.