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CDC says the flu is hitting children the hardest, with the rate of doctors’ visits by children reaching a 10-year high.
New data from the C-D-C says there have been more than 15 million cases, 180,000 people hospitalized, and more than 7,000 deaths from the flu so far this season.
OAKLAND, Calif. - If you're experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms this winter – your symptoms may be linked to a lesser-known respiratory virus on the rise in the Bay Area and across the U.S.
What is HMPV?
What we know:
Human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, is a virus that causes similar symptoms as a cold. It's in the same family as respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, according to UC Davis Health.
According to the CDC, HMPV can develop anytime of the year, but is most common in winter and spring.
HMPV symptoms
Symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. The CDC warns those symptoms can sometimes develop into bronchitis or pneumonia.
More severe complications of HMPV include: asthma attack, middle ear infection, bronchiolitis, "barking" cough and fever.
The CDC reported Friday that HMPV "activity" is rising across the U.S., but noted the rise is within what's expected this time of year.
CDC data for Region 9, which includes the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Alaska, shows HMPV began to rise in the fall, continuing through the winter and hitting its peak on March 7.
HMPV rising in Bay Area
By the numbers:
Wastewater SCAN data, which tracks pathogens in wastewater, shows late-March spikes in HMPV cases around the Bay Area, with the highest numbers in San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Rafael Vallejo and Gilroy.
A wastewater heat map shows pathogens detected in various Bay Area regions ranging from low to high levels, the highest shown in the darkest color.
HMPV prevention and testing
HMPV spreads through close personal contact, through the air by coughing and sneezing, and via surfaces that have the virus.
People with weakened immune symptoms, asthma or COPD are at a higher risk, along with those under 5 and over 65.
The CDC suggests good hygiene practices, like handwashing and covering your mouth when coughing, to prevent the illness.
The agency notes there is no treatment for the virus, but says that HMPV can be confirmed by a doctor through molecular or antigen testing.
If someone becomes severely ill with HMPV, a doctor may treat them with oxygen therapy, IV fluids or steroids.
The Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Wastewater SCAN data, UC Davis Health