Chinese hospitals are reported to be rapidly overwhelmed with people suffering from a mysterious virus, which has brought to mind the situation caused by the COVID-19 virus a few years ago.
Images circulating on social media show hospitals filled with masked patients, while officials have been caught off guard by the outbreak of this virus.
Unverified but concerning videos began appearing on social media on New Year’s Eve, with more being posted in recent days.
Some claim they show hospitals in Hunan, a province in southern China, as well as the surrounding areas.
Local media say the surge in reported illnesses is due to a dangerous virus that most people have never heard of, called human metapneumovirus (HMPV).
This virus typically causes mild cold-like symptoms, which can quickly lead to hospitalization and, in the worst case, death for the most vulnerable.
Chinese authorities have not yet confirmed what they believe to be causing the long waiting lists at hospitals.
Government officials and the World Health Organization have not yet commented on the social media footage from hospitals.
However, official reports from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have suggested that the issues may simply be related to a regular flu.
The CDC acknowledged that the rate of flu-like illnesses is rising as China is in the midst of the cold winter months.
No official reports of serious health complications or deaths have been published yet, but locals have stated that the outbreak has already claimed some lives.
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“KORÇA BOOM”
