The “mystery virus” trend on TikTok: Real worry or social media hype?

A surge of TikTok videos has appeared, depicting young viewers expressing their experiences with a purported “mystery disease” with symptoms similar to COVID-19. Despite negative test results for recognized viruses such as COVID-19, the flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), users remain confused and anxious about their health.

Health experts join in, blaming the symptoms on a post-pandemic condition: increased concern over illness. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, emphasizes that the observed symptoms are consistent with familiar viruses that circulate year-round, denying the idea of a new and unknown threat in the United States.