Wang Liping, left, researcher for the Chinese language Heart for Illness Management and Prevention speaks throughout a press briefing by the Nationwide Well being Fee as issues surfaced in current days over a surge in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in northern China after pictures circulated on-line of hospitals overrun with masked sufferers, in Beijing, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. Credit score: AP Photograph/Andy Wong
The speed of infections with the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in northern China is declining, a well being official stated Sunday, amid some worldwide concern over a possible pandemic.
HMPV, which belongs to the identical household because the respiratory syncytial virus, causes flu or cold-like signs together with fever, cough and nasal congestion. The signs typically clear up by themselves, although they’ll trigger decrease respiratory tract infections amongst kids, older adults and people immunocompromised.
“The human metapneumovirus is not a new virus, and has been with humans for at least several decades,” stated Wang Liping, a researcher on the Chinese language Heart for Illness Management and Prevention, throughout a press briefing by China’s Nationwide Well being Fee.
Wang added that the rise in recent times within the variety of circumstances of the virus, first detected within the Netherlands in 2001, is because of higher detection strategies.
“At present, the rate of positive cases in human metapneumovirus detection is fluctuating, and the rate of positive cases in northern provinces is declining, and the rate of positive cases among patients aged 14 and below has started to decline,” she stated.
Issues surfaced in current days over a surge in HMPV infections in northern China after pictures circulated on-line of hospitals overrun with masked sufferers. The World Well being Group stated it has not obtained studies of surprising outbreaks in China or elsewhere.
Specialists say HMPV is in contrast to COVID-19 in that it has been round for many years and there’s some built-in immunity to it. Most kids are contaminated with the virus by the age of 5.
Wang stated respiratory ailments presently affecting folks in China are attributable to identified pathogens, and no new infectious ailments have emerged.
The variety of sufferers in fever clinics and emergency departments throughout the nation has been rising however continues to be usually decrease in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months, stated Gao Xinqiang, deputy director of the Division of Medical Emergency Response of the well being fee.
“There is no obvious shortage of medical resources,” Gao stated.
Flu infections throughout the nation are anticipated to steadily decline in mid-to-late January, stated fee spokesperson Hu Qiangqiang.
There aren’t any vaccines or medicine out there for HMPV. Specialists advocate precautions towards catching the virus and different respiratory ailments together with washing one’s arms recurrently, avoiding crowds if potential, and sporting a masks in crowded locations.
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