Cases of the infection human metapneumovirus (HMPV) have surged across northern Chinese provinces in recent days, mainly among children.

The virus – responsible for packed hospital waiting rooms in China and eerily similar to the early days of Covid – has seen a ‘marked increase’ in recent weeks – slightly higher than at the same time last year.

HMPV typically causes symptoms similar to the common cold, including a cough, runny nose or nasal congestion, a sore throat and a fever that clears after around five days.

But more severe symptoms such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia can occur, with sufferers experiencing shortness of breath, severe cough or wheezing.

Experts urged to be cautious of flu-like symptoms over fears it could be HMPV.

Professor John Tregoning, an expert in vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, told MailOnline that it has very similar symptoms – in children at least – to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.

‘It is part of the cocktail of winter viruses that we are exposed to and, like other viruses, it will transmit in coughs, sneezes and in droplets.

‘Protecting yourself by being in well-ventilated spaces, covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands will all help,’ said Professor Tregoning

Similar to the advice related to Covid and RSV, those infected must ‘rest, stay hydrated and try not to spread it to others’, he added.

‘If you do feel very unwell, go to your GP. As it is a virus, antibiotics won’t have any effect.’

Unlike Covid, there is no vaccine yet or specific antiviral treatment for HMPV and treatment primarily involves managing symptoms.

Jaya Dantas, a professor of international health at Curtin University in Australia added: ‘We need to use a cautious and measured approach, as we know so much more since the Covid pandemic.

‘We need to get tested, stay home and away from others, wear a mask in public and protect our most vulnerable.

‘In young children, the elderly and those who are immune compromised, HMPV can lead to severe cases and can move to the lower respiratory tract and may lead to pneumonia.’

Other experts, however, cautioned that the rise in cases ‘is not something that should cause undue concern’.

Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, added: ‘HPMV has been known about since 2001, and has been circulating in humans for at least 50 years – probably a lot longer.

‘Unfortunately, it is associated with pneumonia, particularly in young children, but this is thankfully rare.’

Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia, also told MailOnline: ‘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 re-infections throughout life.

‘It is one of the leading viral causes of respiratory infections in children under five-year-olds.

‘In England, we have seen a fairly marked increase in recent weeks.’

However, he added: ‘One of the issues involved in these types of infection is that they are being diagnosed more frequently, so it is not always easy to know whether, year-on-year, increases are due to actual increases or just because we are diagnosing a greater proportion of infections.’

Health officials in Beijing have downplayed the developments as an annual winter occurrence.

But the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that rates of multiple flu-like illnesses are on the rise.

In its latest report, for the week of December 29, data suggested that 7.2 per cent of outpatient visits to local hospitals in northern provinces were due to a flu-like illness.

This was up 12 per cent on the previous week and above the levels for the same week every flu season since 2021.

Data for the southern part of the country suggested that 5.7 per cent of outpatient visits were due to flu-like illness.

This was up 21 per cent on the previous week, and also above the level for the same week in 2021 when 4.1 per cent of visits were due to flu-like illness.

It was, however, below the levels in 2022 and 2023.

The UK itself is currently battling its own tidal wave of flu. Surveillance programmes that monitor England’s outbreak suggest flu hospital admissions are quadruple that of a month ago.

Figures show that more than 4,500 beds alone were taken up by flu patients every day last week, up 3.5 times on the same week last year.

Of these, 211 were in critical care – up 69 per cent on the previous week.

Experts also said they expect ‘things to get worse before they get better’ given more people have socialised indoors over the Christmas and the New Year period.

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, for what he describes as inflammatory remarks directed at Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the same election.

Atiku described Morka’s comments as a “disturbing emblem” of the current administration’s strategy to stifle opposition voices. He also expressed concern over the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent government critic, and others, suggesting these actions indicate a shift toward authoritarian governance.

“The choice of words used by the APC spokesperson, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has ‘crossed the line,’ reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles,” Atiku said. “Such language, rooted in hostility, has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme.”

Atiku emphasized the vital role of opposition leaders in fostering accountability and improving governance, arguing that a true democracy thrives on a healthy exchange of ideas. He expressed alarm over Morka’s statement that Obi should “be ready for whatever comes his way,” calling on the APC to clarify this “chilling threat.”

The former Vice President also condemned the APC spokesperson’s framing of Obi’s calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a lawless “Wild West” scenario. Atiku described this language as crude and unbecoming of a ruling party, urging the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian public.

In addition to the remarks against Obi, Atiku highlighted the case of Mahdi Shehu, who remains in detention without clear justification. He argued that the Tinubu administration’s actions are eroding fundamental freedoms and setting a dangerous precedent.

“If there is anyone who has truly ‘crossed the line,’ it is the Tinubu administration, whose continuous vilification of opposition figures as mere irritants to be crushed is a dangerous precedent,” Atiku said.

The PDP candidate called on Nigerians and the international community to demand an end to what he described as the stifling of dissenting voices, warning that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the protection of free speech and opposition rights.

Atiku concluded by urging President Tinubu’s administration to recalibrate its approach to dissent, emphasizing the need for dialogue, engagement, and respect for democratic principles.

…Says Govt Spending Expanding At Expense Of Private Sector Growth

…Claims Tinubu’s Economic Reforms Not Working

The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has warned that the N13.39tn deficit in the 2025 budget will put pressure on the naira and lead to its further depreciation against the United States dollar.

The President of NACCIMA, Dele Oye, said this on Tuesday in an interview on Arise TV.

President Bola Tinubu had presented the N49.7tn Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 18, 2024, and requested that the lawmakers pass it expeditiously.

The budget has a revenue projection of N36.35tn which is 40.51 per cent rise from the N25.87tn in 2024 and a deficit of N13.39tn, up by 45.86 per cent from the N9.18tn deficit in the 2024 budget.

But, the NACCIMA president said that the budget will crowd out the private sector, which could lead to a worse economic crisis.

Oye lamented that the current inflation and foreign exchange woes resulted from poor policies and the government outspending its revenues.

He said, “There is the tendency of the government trying to borrow or increase taxes to fill the gap. If you do that, you only make Nigerians poorer.”

In 2014, Nigeria was the biggest economy in Africa with a GDP of $568bn but the numbers have crashed to $191bn in 2024.

He said, “This year’s budget is far lower in real terms than last year’s budget. Look at our standing in the African GDP, we are about number five and may be going to six.

“All these are due to domestic policies that have been made like deficit financing. What you are seeing is that the private sector is shrinking and the public sector is expanding.”

The naira closed in the full year of 2024 at N1,650 per dollar as against around N1,000 per dollar in January 2024.

Experts have blamed the depreciation of the currency on policies, including the floating of the naira in June 20203 and other policy misfires.

The NACCIMA boss said economic indices show that government policies failed in 2024.

Oye said, “NACCIMA is not advocating for the reversal of government reforms. What we are asking is that the way it is currently being implemented will not lead us anywhere.

“This government has been here for almost two years. If it is not working and the economy is shrinking, it is time for the government to change the procedure.

“The reason why the naira is falling is because the government is running a deficit budget. A N13tn deficit? What do you expect? it is going to affect the value of the naira.

“If we cut government expenses, the naira will start to appreciate. Until you cut the excess, we are going to continue to borrow in an uncontrollable way and you can see the effect- our naira will continue to go down.”

He called for proof that government policies are working, adding that the government should suspend any tax raise.

He added that last year, president Tinubu made several foreign trips to woo investors, adding that Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) are far below expectations.

An eyewitness account of the explosion that rocked the Islamic school in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, has said the bomb was brought to school by one of the students.

The blast at the Sani Uthman Islamiyya School, Kuchibuyi Village, Bwari area council had claimed two lives and injured two persons.

Our correspondent who visited the school on Tuesday said the school is a three-classroom block, built for nomadic education (Almajiri school)

Findings revealed that the student who brought the explosive to school came in from Katsina State a day before the tragic incident.

A police team was sent to the scene of the incident. Photo: Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television.

“The explosive detonated at the point the boy from Katsina was showing the object to another child in the school,” the eyewitness said.

The boy who was holding the explosive died instantly, while the second boy died later at the hospital.

The incident recorded two survivors- a little girl who is receiving treatment at the Kubwa General Hospital, and another boy who has been referred to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

Gory photos of the incident emerged on Tuesday, revealing the aftermath of the blast on the school.

The school premises have since been sealed by the FCT police.

A Monday statement by the FCT Police Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, had said the explosives were brought into the school premises by three men, contradicting eyewitness accounts.

Adeh had said a team of police operatives, including the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was mobilised to the scene after the incident.

She said, “The area was immediately cordoned off to protect residents and facilitate a thorough investigation.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that three men from Katsina had visited the owner of the Islamic school, Mallam Adamu Ashimu.

“The three visitors are suspected of having brought the explosive device with them.

“Tragically, two of the men died in the explosion while tampering with the improvised explosive device (IED), on the school Veranda, while the third man and a female trader sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment under police guard.

“The FCT Bomb Squad has confirmed that it was an IED explosion, as remnants of the device have been recovered.”

The police spokesperson said the owner of the school has been taken into custody for questioning, and further findings would be communicated in due course.

The FCT Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, behaviour, or items that may resemble improvised explosive devices to the police.