Increasing cases of frequent respiratory diseases in China and elsewhere across the northern hemisphere are within the expected range for the winter, with no unusual outbreaks reported, the World Health Organization said.

Reports of rising cases in China human metapneumovirus (hMPV), a common respiratory infection, has grabbed headlines around the world, with reports of overcrowded hospitals recalling the start of the COVID-19 pandemic just over five years ago.

However, the WHO said in a statement Tuesday night that it was in contact with Chinese health officials and had not received any reports of unusual patterns of outbreaks there. Chinese authorities have also informed the UN health agency that the health system is not overwhelmed and that no emergency response has been launched.

The WHO said Chinese data up to December 29 showed that detections of hMPV, seasonal influenza, rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) had increased in recent weeks, particularly in northern parts of China. Influenza is currently the most common cause of illness, it is stated.

“The observed increase in acute respiratory infections and associated pathogen detections in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere in recent weeks is expected at this time of year and is not unusual,” the WHO added.

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HMPV typically causes cold-like symptoms for a few days, but in rare cases can lead to hospitalization in the very young, the elderly, or the medically vulnerable. Unlike the virus that caused COVID-19, which was new, hMPV was first identified in 2001 and has likely been circulating much longer, the scientists said.

A number of other countries, including India and the United Kingdom, have also reported increases in hMPV cases this winter, as well as other respiratory infections, in line with seasonal trends that can sometimes strain hospitals.

“Almost every child will have at least one hMPV infection by their fifth birthday,” said Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia in the UK. Countries are also getting better at diagnosing the disease, he said, which could be a factor in rising rates.

“Overall, I don’t think there is any sign of a more serious global problem at the moment,” he said.