BEIJING, China, Jan 5: China is reportedly grappling with a mysterious viral outbreak that is overwhelming hospitals in some areas. Social media videos depict hospital wards inundated with patients wearing face masks, while long lines of parents holding sick children can be seen in pediatric units. There have also been unverified reports suggesting that crematoriums and funeral homes are struggling to manage the surge in cases.

The disturbing scenes, coupled with the absence of official comments, have led some to draw comparisons with the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Local media have attributed the current outbreak to a little-known virus called human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which typically causes mild cold-like symptoms. However, health officials have yet to confirm this theory.

The situation bears resemblance to the winter of 2022/23, when China experienced a wave of mycoplasma pneumonia cases, known as "white lung," which is also typically mild. That outbreak was thought to be the result of reduced natural immunity in children, a consequence of China's strict lockdowns and school closures aimed at containing COVID-19.

Reports from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that influenza may be behind the latest surge, with 30 percent of tests returning positive for flu, and one in seven people hospitalized with severe respiratory symptoms testing positive for it. The Chinese government and the World Health Organization have not yet addressed the widespread videos circulating on social media, but the CDC has warned that flu-like illnesses are on the rise.

Data from the week ending December 29 reveals that 7.2 percent of outpatient visits to hospitals in northern provinces were for flu-like illnesses, a 12 percent increase from the previous week, and higher than the average for this period in previous flu seasons. In southern China, 5.7 percent of outpatient visits were due to flu-like symptoms, a 21 percent increase from the previous week, though still lower than the levels seen in 2022 and 2023.

Videos of overwhelmed hospitals began circulating online around New Year's Eve, claiming to show facilities in Hunan province and other areas. Aboluowang News, a US-based news outlet covering China, quoted a farmer from Hunan, Mr. Peng, who said, “A lot of people have caught colds, and most of them are sick. About seven or eight people died this week in this area, some in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 40s."

The news outlet also cited a funeral director, Ms. Wang, who claimed that there were long queues at her crematorium. “Today, three VIP furnaces were opened. They were all burning and emitting a lot of smoke. It was terrible,” she said. “If you didn’t know about the crematorium, you’d think it was selling New Year goods, like a trade fair during the Chinese New Year."

In another instance, a Chinese video blogger named "Please Fei Ge" described falling ill after traveling to Guangzhou for an event. Both he and his wife developed a fever, body aches, and headaches upon returning to their home province. They isolated from their children for three days to prevent the infection from spreading. "This feels exactly like when I got 'yang' back then," he said, referring to the symptoms of COVID-19. "It’s very uncomfortable. If you remember that feeling, wear a mask when you go out in crowded places."

Last year, concerns were raised in China about a surge in pneumonia cases among children, with social media videos showing mask-clad crowds flocking to Beijing hospitals. At the time, officials stated that the outbreak was not caused by a new virus but was a result of diseases rebounding following the end of lockdown measures.