China confirms no new virus has emerged

Chinese health officials said on January 12 that the number of flu cases so far this year is lower than the same period last year and dismissed rumors that the disease could be caused by a new strain of virus.

Children wait to see a doctor at a pediatric ward of a hospital in eastern China last week.

The South China Morning Post on January 12 quoted an announcement from China's National Health Commission (NHC) that the number of flu cases since the beginning of the year has been lower than the number of cases in the same period last year, and no new viral diseases have been detected in the country.

Specifically, at a press conference in Beijing, NHC officials said that although it is currently the peak of the seasonal flu epidemic, the number of flu cases detected during medical examinations and hospitalizations has been lower. As a result, the hospital system has not been overloaded nationwide.

“Recent screening shows that flu-related outpatient visits and hospitalisations are on the rise nationwide, but the total number of cases is still lower than last year’s level,” Gao Xinqiang, deputy director of the NHC’s medical emergency department, was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post .

“We do not detect significant pressure occurring on medical resources,” Mr. Gao added.

The latest statistics show that the rate of influenza virus infection among hospital visits and admissions increased by 3.8% in the first week of 2025 compared to the previous week.

Although flu cases are rising, the trend of flu infections is starting to slow down nationwide, researcher Wang Liping of the China National Center for Disease Control and Prevention under the NHC said at a press conference.

In a press conference earlier on January 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that human metapneumovirus (HMPV) continues to increase.

A recent surge in HMPV cases in China has been widely circulated on social media as evidence of a new virus outbreak in the country, with some online posts claiming the spread has prompted China to declare a state of emergency, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/trung-quoc-khang-dinh-khong-xuat-hien-virus-gay-benh-moi-185250112195748701.htm