This flu-like illness youve never heard of is rising what you need to know

Flu season might be winding down — but don’t stash the tissues just yet. A little-known respiratory virus with no vaccine or treatment has been quietly picking up steam since the start of winter, helping drive a wave of illnesses across the country. Wastewater surveillance, which tracks pathogens in sewage to measure community spread, shows that levels have reached the “high” category nationwide as of early March.And yet, experts say most Americans probably haven’t heard of the virus, which causes symptoms that closely mimic other respiratory illnesses, like the common cold, flu or RSV.“They’re definitely less familiar with it,” Dr.Sharon Nachman, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, told The Post.“When I hear someone say, ‘Oh my god, it’s March or April and I have the flu,’ my answer usually is, you may look like you have the flu, you may act like you have the flu, but you have human metapneumovirus (HMPV).”Here’s everything you need to know about the virus making Americans cough, sneeze and sniffle their way into spring.

HMPV was first identified by researchers in the Netherlands in 2001, though studies suggest it had been circulating in humans for at least a half century prior.Like the flu, it’s seasonal.Cases typically rise in January, peak in March and April, then drop as the weather warms in May.“This is the right time of year for us to be seeing it,” Nachman said.

“When flu season wanes, there’s a biologic niche that needs to be filled, and this respiratory virus jumps right in to do it.”Most cases are mild and resolve within two to five days.Common symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion, sore throat, wheezing, shortness of breath and occasionally a rash.

In some cases, the illness can progress to pneumonia, bronchitis or middle ear infections.HMPV can also trigger asthma flare-ups or worsen chronic conditions such as COPD.Severe illness is most likely during a pers...