US scholar: No indication that HMPV originated in China

Faced with hype from Western media surrounding an uptick in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, Josef Gregory Mahoney, professor of Politics at East China Normal University said on his Linkedin that there's no indication that it originated in China, adding that the virus was first detected in the Netherlands, and has been found since 2001 globally.

"Perhaps due to ideological differences and Orientalist clickbait business models, some international media rarely hesitate to portray China in the worst light," Mahoney commented concerning the sensational hype of HMPV cases in China by some Western and Indian media.

Mahoney said it's ironic that information about an outbreak in China reaches the world solely through routine official announcements by the Chinese authorities, but then some media create an alarmist narrative. "Might this discourage Chinese authorities from announcing such outbreaks in the future," he questioned.

The answer is no, according to Mahoney. He said China has shown its commitment to dealing with public concerns in open way, citing earlier outbreaks including SARS, Covid and so on.

Besides, Mahoney said it's impossible to keep outbreaks secret, especially if they start to spread.

"Chinese disease tracking and reporting have improved, and that information is being shared publicly", Mahoney concluded by saying that it's not a serious health threat and it's being well managed.