Credit score: Unsplash/CC0 Public Area
Stories that circumstances of a flu-like virus known as HMPV are rising in China have sparked concern, however consultants have dismissed fears that the state of affairs is similar to the beginnings of COVID-19 5 years in the past.
Here’s what you have to learn about HMPV:
Just like flu
HMPV stands for “human metapneumovirus” and usually causes a gentle an infection of the higher respiratory tract.
It spreads by way of person-to-person contact or when somebody touches a contaminated floor.
Frequent signs embody coughing, fever and a blocked nostril—similar to many kinds of chilly and flu.
Weak teams reminiscent of younger youngsters, the aged and other people with compromised immune techniques could have extra extreme signs.
Public well being recommendation for HMPV is just like that for flu, stated John Tregoning, professor in vaccine immunology at Imperial School London.
“Protecting yourself by being in well-ventilated (spaces), covering your mouth when you cough (and) washing your hands will all help,” he stated.
Contaminated individuals ought to “rest, take on fluids (and) try not to spread it to others”.
Not like COVID
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was unknown when it first emerged in people in late 2019.
That meant individuals had by no means been uncovered to it and had no immunity, elevating the danger of extreme sickness.
In distinction, HMPV has been circulating for many years and other people all over the world have already got some safety in opposition to it.
The virus “is part of the cocktail of winter viruses that we are exposed to”, Tregoning stated.
Paul Hunter, professor of drugs at Britain’s College of East Anglia, stated that “almost every child will have at least one infection with HMPV by their fifth birthday”.
Many individuals catch the virus a number of occasions over the course of their lives, he stated.
What has China stated?
China’s illness management authority held a wide-ranging press convention simply earlier than the brand new yr to debate its “progress and achievements”.
Amongst different measures, the Nationwide Heart for Illness Management and Prevention introduced it was “piloting active monitoring of pneumonia of unknown origin” because it developed its normal prevention technique.
Later, whereas answering a query about “the interweaving of multiple infectious diseases” this winter, high official Kan Biao gave a rundown on the state of play of varied illnesses within the nation.
“Influenza virus has shown a clear upward trend recently… the positive rate of rhinovirus has shown a downward trend… respiratory syncytial virus in those aged 0 to 4 years has shown an upward trend recently, and the positive rate of HMPV in cases aged 14 and below has also shown an upward trend,” he stated.
Nonetheless, he famous, “the scale and intensity of the spread of respiratory infectious diseases are lower than last year”.
China’s international ministry stated final Friday that it was “safe to travel to China”.
‘Inside regular vary’
Photos of sufferers in face masks filling hospital emergency rooms have circulated broadly on Chinese language social media in latest weeks, however such scenes usually are not uncommon for winter.
Globally, fear has unfold rapidly, with these elevating considerations pointing to Beijing’s perceived lack of transparency all through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In late December, the World Well being Group (WHO) implored China to share extra information on COVID-19’s origins, saying it was a “moral and scientific imperative”.
However on Tuesday, the WHO sought to allay fears round HMPV.
“China’s reported levels of respiratory infections are within the normal range—it’s what we would expect to see for the winter season,” spokeswoman Margaret Harris stated.
© 2025 AFP
Quotation:
What you have to learn about HMPV (2025, January 9)
retrieved 9 January 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-01-hmpv.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Other than any honest dealing for the aim of personal research or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for info functions solely.
