US states where HMPV is surging as patients experience horrific symptoms

Patients of the new virus have been experiencing horrific symptoms as the number of cases of HMPV continues to surge.

Now, the US has revealed where in the country these figures are going up after fears grow that the world could be facing another pandemic.

Official data now shows that the midwest has been most affected by the disease.

China has been battling an outbreak of HMPV (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Infections in states such as Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska are three times higher than the national average.

This means that roughly one in 20 people with a cough in those four states has the virus.

After an outbreak of the virus was first sparked in China, many fear that HMPV is following a similar pattern to the Covid pandemic.

However, this virus isn’t as harsh as the first strain of Covid and, as HMPV has been around for years, the general population already has some immunity to it.

That being said, symptoms can be severe and even deadly for children or people who are immunocompromised.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, one patient suffered such bad symptoms from HMPV that they were left ‘unable to speak’ due to ‘violent’ coughing fits.

The World Health Organization said: “The observed increases in acute respiratory infections and associated pathogen detections in many countries in the Northern hemisphere in recent weeks is expected at this time of year and is not unusual.”

States that are in the second highest group in the country for HMPV cases include Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The virus is spreading in the US (JUN LI/Getty Images)

Those states in the third highest are Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, Arizona, California, Montana and Utah.

Meanwhile, the states that have been affected the least by the virus are places on the east coast like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut.

Speaking to the BBC, Dr Hsu Li Yang, an infectious diseases specialist in Singapore, explained that the disease is already present around the globe, stating that people will have ‘some degree of existing immunity due to previous exposure’.

Paul Hunter, a medical professor at University of East Anglia in England, added: “Almost every child will have at least one infection with HMPV by their fifth birthday and we can expect to go on to have multiple reinfections throughout life.

“I don't think there are currently any signs of a more serious global issue.”

Time will tell how the virus progresses in the coming weeks.