How do you know if your bad cold is flu or hMPV? Experts reveal telltale signs as both viruses sweep through Britain
Experts have revealed the key differences between the winter viruses spreading across Britain – to help decipher whether your virus is flu, the common cold or the new potential threat to the NHS, human metapneumovirus (hMPV).
As the flu continues to reach crisis point, causing “critical incidents” in at least a dozen hospitals across the country, experts have sounded the alarm about rising levels of hMPV.
The virus is believed to be responsible for images of crowded hospital waiting rooms in China, in scenes eerily similar to the early days of Covid.
Experts have called on Chinese authorities to release more information about the strain of the bug so British health chiefs can assess the level of threat to Britons.
However, scientists are almost certain that for most, the symptoms of hMPV will be very mild and similar to a cold.
Flu, on the other hand, tends to be more severe, with a relatively specific disease course.
However, certain vulnerable groups – the elderly, immunocompromised people and young children – may not have an easy time with hMPV. And the resulting complications are different from those of the flu.
So what are the telltale signs of both infections? And how can you tell them apart?
Scenes of hospitals flooded with people in face masks are making the rounds on social media. Pictured, a baby wearing a face mask waits with relatives at the pediatric ward of a hospital in Hangzhou, eastern China, on January 6
hMPV
In the vast majority of cases, the main symptoms of hMPV are very similar to those of a cold: cough, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and low-grade fever.
Like other viruses, these are caused by the body’s immune system trying to fight it.
However, some may also experience nausea and vomiting.
More serious symptoms may occur, such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia, which usually affect people with compromised immune systems, with patients experiencing shortness of breath, severe coughing or wheezing.
Professor John Tregoning, an expert in vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, said that when hMPV infects children it is similar to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common winter bug that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
“It is part of the cocktail of winter viruses that we are exposed to and, like other viruses, will be transmitted through coughing, sneezing and droplets,” he said.
As with the advice regarding Covid and RSV, those infected should “rest, stay hydrated and try not to spread it to others,” he added.
Often patients are not tested for hMPV unless in the hospital, where doctors may need to clarify what is causing your symptoms.
This is done via rapid antigen tests – which examine a nasal swab – or a PCR test, which looks for traces of genetic material from the virus in nasal swabs.
Experts have warned that hMPV, which causes flu-like symptoms, can linger in the body for days and can easily be passed on to others.
The rise in hPMV in Britain is mainly affecting young children – who are among the most vulnerable to serious complications, official data shows.
Virus monitoring data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that one in 10 children tested for respiratory infections in hospital were positive for hMPV on December 23.
This is more than double the proportion of very young children who tested positive for hMPV at the end of November.
However, experts have repeatedly warned that case numbers are in line with expectations for this time of year.
Dr. Conall Watson, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: ‘Our surveillance systems in GP practices and hospitals indicate that levels are in line with what we would expect.
‘Most people have had hMPV by the time they are five years old and will have it for the rest of their lives.
‘Infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to more severe episodes.
‘As with all respiratory viruses, you can help reduce the transmission of infection by washing hands regularly and collecting and disposing of coughs and sneezes in tissues.’
He added: ‘If you have symptoms such as a high temperature, coughing and feel tired and achy, try to limit your contact with others, especially those who are vulnerable.
‘There are many viruses in circulation at the moment, including influenza. If you have symptoms of a respiratory illness and need to go out, our advice remains that you should consider wearing a face mask.”
Pictured, an adult and a child wait to be seen by medical staff at the pediatric ward of a hospital in Hangzhou, eastern China on January 6
Graphic shows the common symptoms (green check mark), occasional and possible symptoms (orange circle) and the symptoms that never occur (red cross) for colds, flu and Covid
Flu
The disease, which is caused by flu viruses, usually causes people to cough, which is the most common symptom of a seasonal crossover virus.
But signs of flu are usually much more intense than a cold and can even cause stomach problems.
It can be fatal in some cases if complications, such as pneumonia, occur among the most vulnerable.
Professor Ron Eccles, who led the Common Cold Center at Cardiff University before retiring in 2017, told MailOnline: ‘Flu typically causes chills, fever, headache, muscle aches and pains.
‘The flu feels worse because the symptoms affect the whole body and are not limited to the upper respiratory tract.’
He added: ‘Gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea are also more common in flu cases.’
Britain is currently dealing with its own tidal wave of flu. Surveillance programs monitoring the outbreak in England suggest flu hospital admissions have quadrupled from a month ago.
The latest NHS data, covering the week to December 29, shows that 4,500 beds were occupied by flu patients every day, also 3.5 times more than in the same week last year.
Of these, 211 were in intensive care – an increase of 69 percent from the previous week.
More than 4,100 Britons also spent Christmas Day in hospital with flu. By December 29, this had risen to more than 5,000.
The virus is one of them ‘quademic’ of winter viruses adding to pressure on NHS services alongside noroviruses, RSV and Covid.
As with treating the common cold, rest and fluids are often recommended to help people with the flu. Over-the-counter medications also help.
Dr. Winn said: ‘Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with headaches, muscle aches and fever. Guaifenesin can loosen mucus to clear your airways.
‘An antihistamine such as chlorpheniramine can stop a runny nose. And if you have a cough, look for products with dextromethorphan.
“For the flu or cold, consider seeing a doctor if your symptoms last more than a week or if you have a fever, trouble breathing, or other signs of infection.”
Cold
Rhinoviruses are the most common cause of the common cold, but a minor infection of the nose and throat can be caused by any of more than 200 different viruses.
If symptoms are mostly limited to the upper respiratory tract, you probably have a cold.
‘Cold symptoms are more like colds with runny nose, sneezing, sore throat and nasal congestion,’ Professor Eccles said.
Cold weather alone does not cause a cold. But the body is more susceptible to infections when the immune system is weaker.
London-based general practitioner Dr. Ann Nainan told MailOnline: ‘Colds usually develop gradually and can cause coughing, congestion and tiredness. They sneak up on you with things like a runny nose or a sore throat.”
The disease is often “bothersome,” unlike the flu, which can “knock you off your feet and keep you in bed,” she added.
However, this overlap in symptoms can make clinical diagnoses challenging.
There is no cure for the common cold, but there are a few ways to ease the symptoms.
Getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids, inhaling steam to soothe your stuffy nose, and drinking hot lemon and honey to soothe a sore throat are all simple ways to treat a cold.