HMPV Surge Sparks Respiratory Alerts in 35 States

Health officials issued alerts this spring as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a pneumonia- and bronchitis-causing virus first identified in 2001, surged nationwide. In Georgia, HMPV accounted for 6.4% of positive respiratory virus tests in early March 2026, up from 3% the prior year; nationally, it hit over 5% of tests for the week ending March 7, compared to 3.82% in 2025.[2] The CDC reports 35 states now face high levels of acute respiratory illness, with HMPV contributing amid co-circulating flu and RSV.[5][1] Wastewater surveillance from WastewaterSCAN reveals HMPV rampant in Northern California cities including Sacramento, Davis, Vallejo, San Francisco, Marin, Napa, Novato and Santa Rosa, where levels peaked in January and remained elevated into March.[3][7] Similar rises appear in the Midwest and Northeast, while RSV activity, delayed this season, lingers into April, with highest emergency visits among children under 4.[1] HMPV spreads via respiratory droplets, coughs, sneezes or contaminated surfaces, peaking later than influenza—often in April.[2][3] Young children, adults over 65, and those with weakened immune systems, organ transplants, cancer, chronic lung issues or on long-term steroids face the greatest risks of severe illness like bronchitis or pneumonia.[3] Federal data from 2016-2019 estimates 12 HMPV-related hospitalizations per 100,000 people annually.[2] Most cases mimic a common cold with cough, fever, congestion and shortness of breath, resolving in days, though the virus strains healthcare amid multiple pathogens.[4][7] No vaccine or specific treatment exists for HMPV, which circulates seasonally from late fall into spring like its Pneumoviridae relative RSV.[3] The CDC tracks activity through NREVSS and notes overall respiratory illness low as of March 27, 2026, with declining flu and low COVID-19.[1][8] WHO attributes Northern Hemisphere surges to seasonal epidemics of influenza, RSV, HMPV and mycoplasma pneumoniae, urging monitoring to ease healthcare burdens.[4] As of early April 2026, officials recommend handwashing, avoiding close contact with the sick, and masking in crowded settings to curb spread, especially with HMPV's late-season persistence.[2][3]