HMPV: Does the world need to be concerned?

The investigation was prompted by a recent rise in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in northern China. This occurs five years after the world was made aware of the Covid-19 virus's emergence in China, which turned into a global pandemic with seven million reported deaths.High-ranking Chinese health officials have said that the number of illnesses among those aged 14 and under in particular has increased, although they have highlighted the claims that the virus has infected Chinese hospitals.

There have also been reports of pollution in India.

Does HMPV represent a new virus?

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in the United States state that although the virus was first identified in 2001, experts believe it has likely been around for decades.En règle générale, les symptômes du HMVP sont similaires à ceux d'un rhume ou d'une grippe. Ils comprennent la toux, la fièvre, la congestion nasale et l'essoufflement. Pour certains, la maladie peut être beaucoup more severe.

Selon les CDC, le virus peut provoquer des maladies des voies respiratoires supérieures et inférieures, telles que la bronchite ou la pneumonie, chez des personnes de tous âges, mais c'est chez les jeunes enfants, les personnes âgées et les personnes dont le système immunitaire est affaibli qu'on l'observe le plus .La période d'incubation estimée est de trois à six jours, et la durée médiane de la maladie peut varier en fonction de la gravité, mais elle est similaire à celle d'autres infections respiratoires causées par des virus.

Les CDC indiquent que leurs données de surveillance montrent que le virus HMPV est le plus actif à la fin de l'hiver et au printemps dans les climats tempérés.

What is the propagation?

The most common way for the HMVP to spread from one infected person to another is through sexual contact and death.Additionally, it can be transmitted by close contact with personnel, such as touching or seeing the main or touching objects or surfaces that contain the HMVP, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.During the coldest months, when people spend more time indoors, the HMVP regularly spreads.

Why are children and the elderly the most vulnerable groups?

A person may get the HMVP a certain number of times. Experts say the first time a virus is contracted is often the most serious. A certain level of immunity develops as a result, and any prolonged exposure to VPH may be less severe as long as the immune system is strong and has not been compromised by other illnesses like cancer or VIH.This may help to explain why young children under five years old and adults over 65 with compromised immune systems or respiratory issues are more vulnerable to severe HMPV cases.However, because it is believed that the HMPV virus has been around for many decades, specialists believe that a significant amount of immunization has accumulated around the world.

What's happening in China?

Images and videos of people wearing masks at Chinese hospitals may be seen on social media platforms. This has led to a number of speculations on the debarring of these establishments.Some local reports have compared these scenes to the early Covid epidemic.Kan Biao, who is in charge of infectious diseases at the Chinese CDC, said that several respiratory infectious diseases will likely affect the country in the winter and spring.During a news conference, he said that the number of VPH cases among those under the age of 14 "shows a tendency to the hausse."However, he said that the overall number of respiratory disease cases in 2024 would likely be lower than in the previous year.Professor Tulio de Oliveira, the director and founder of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, claims that the HMPV is one of four viruses that are now causing a winter outbreak in China. The other three viruses are the flu, Covid, and the respiratory syncytial virus.He clarified that, given the season and the spread of these four viruses, there would be some pressure on Chinese hospitals.China said on Friday that it will be implementing a system to monitor inconclusive pneumonias, with the number of cases of certain respiratory diseases expected to rise throughout the winter

This circumstance contrasts with the lack of preparation that was attained five years ago when COVID first appeared.