logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
26m 29s

Should we be worried about HMPV?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

With reports of rising cases of the respiratory illness HMPV in multiple countries and concern over the risk it poses, we look behind the headlines to reality check what is really going on.

Also on the show, we hear from injured Ukrainians who are building drones to help with their mental and physical rehabilitation. Plus, how does elite sport impact women’s fertility?

Finally, we look ahead to predict what 2025 might have in store for global health.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Katie Tomsett and Jack Lee

(Photo: Bangalore Baptist Hospital where two cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) were detected in Bangalore, India, 06 January 2025. Credit: Jagadeesh Nv/EPA)

Up next
Oct 14
What happens in the ovaries postmenopause?
Perhaps contrary to popular belief, it is not all over for ovaries once a woman is post-menopausal. In a study published in Aging Cell, researchers studying the ovaries from 28 women found that even though their reproductive function ceases, the ovaries remain biologically active ... Show More
26m 29s
Oct 7
Should we be worried about the plague?
This week, Claudia is joined in the studio by Clare Wilson, Science writer at The i Paper.After a 28-young woman who was studying infectious diseases in a lab in Siberia has died from pneumonia, Health Check takes an in-depth look at the plague, examines what we know about what h ... Show More
26m 29s
Sep 30
Do men and women receive different medical treatment?
Men and women are frequently treated differently by healthcare systems according to a review of global research published in the journal, PLOS One. Women with the same medical conditions as men are less likely to be offered the medical treatments offered to men such as surgery, s ... Show More
26m 29s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
The 2 Minute Medicine® Podcast- Episode 56
In this episode, we kick things off with our article of the week which comes from JAMA Network Open and is entitled “Cannabis Use and Misuse Following Recreational Cannabis Legalization”Then, we take a look at the devastating impact of Cyclone Mocha on health systems in Myanmar a ... Show More
8m 54s
Aug 2023
Prepping for pandemics, and pursuing Perseids
This week, we'll find out about preparations for the next pandemic and "disease X"; the link between a noticeably enlarged part of the human brain and obesity; and how honey sweetened the deal for an injured cricketer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Sci ... Show More
28m 12s
Jan 2025
Bird flu threat, and what the Romans really did for us
In the news podcast this week, the first human death from bird flu in the US has made virologists vigilant about its potential threat. Also, we learn about the potentially billions of tonnes of sequestered hydrogen on Earth that could be used for clean energy, and hear of the pro ... Show More
33m 37s
Apr 2020
Southampton update; health anxiety; death certifications; fast-track drug screening
Every week we’re heading to Southampton General Hospital, where we’ve heard a lot about the doctors and nurses doing amazing work. But this week Erika Wright has been talking to Gemma Blanchett who does a job you might not even associate with the virus or with intensive care – an ... Show More
27m 58s