Five years after the first recorded cases of Covid-19, China is facing a surge in the number of cases of another respiratory virus.
Identified as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), an increase in cases in northern provinces of China has led to a public health emergency, with children most vulnerable. The World Health Organisation has yet to issue global guidance, while government officials in Beijing said rising infections were a result of the winter season.
HMPV is not a new virus but causes similar symptoms to influenza and other respiratory viruses circulating at this time of year. It has been reported that emergency measures have been put in place in some hospitals in China to manage the spread of HMPV infections.
Cases have been reported in Hong Kong, while in India pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised people have been advised to wear masks by Kerala Health Minister Veena George. The latest viral outbreak comes five years after the first cases of Covid-19 were reported around the world, that later evolved into a global pandemic claiming more than seven million lives.
Respiratory viruses usually spread more widely during winter, with vaccination campaigns for influenza introduced across the UAE in October to restrict the spread of infections similar to HMPV. In the UK, NHS data showed cases of flu increased during the Christmas and New Year period, with more than 5,000 patients in hospital in the first week of 2025 – three-and-a-half times higher than the same period in 2024.
According to the NHS, there was also an average of 74 children with RSV in hospital every day in early January, up almost 50 per cent for the same period in 2023. A further 1,184 beds were occupied by patients with Covid-19 a day on average, UK health officials said.
“These latest figures show the pressure from flu was nowhere near letting up before we headed into the New Year, skyrocketing to over 5,000 cases a day in hospital as of the end of last week and rising at a very concerning rate,” said Prof Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care. “On top of flu there is also continual pressure from Covid, while RSV and norovirus hospital cases are also higher than last year.”
What is HMPV and how is it transmitted?
The human metapneumovirus was identified in 2001 by scientists in the Netherlands, although it is believed to have been circulating globally for at least 50 years. Similar to influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), HMPV can cause respiratory tract infections in patients of all ages, but children and the elderly are most vulnerable. The virus is passed on through close contact with those infected, or direct contact with their secretions. Symptoms usually begin three to five days after exposure.
What are the symptoms and how can they be treated?
Mild symptoms are similar to other respiratory viruses and include sore throat and fever, a cough, runny nose or nasal congestion. In more severe cases, breathing difficulties and pneumonia can develop. Treatment varies with the severity of symptoms, with medication to reduce fever, antihistamines and breathing treatments bringing effective relief.
When is HMPV passed on?
Cases usually develop in winter, and while there is limited data on reinfection rates it is understood a repeat infection results in milder symptoms. As with other respiratory infections like influenza or Covid-19, covering the mouth and nose when sneezing can prevent further infections, and regular hand washing.
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From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
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It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
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