India TV’s claims that HMPV is a mysterious virus, or speculation that a new virus may have arisen out of China, are false.

HMPV is attracting a lot of interest because it is not a household name, but it was discovered in 2001, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in Geneva.

After China, Malaysia too reported a 45% surge in 2024. Not too far away, Hong Kong too reported cases, though the numbers of cases are low, but the people are now more vigilant. The virus has also reached India,

Countries across Asia are ramping up surveillance and preventive measures as HMPV cases surge, raising concerns about respiratory illnesses.

A handful of cases of the Human Metapneumovirus have been confirmed in India but officials say there's no cause for alarm, according to multiple reports.