HMPV Virus Outbreak In China: Videos trending on social media indicated that Chinese hospitals are now straining with respiratory diseases, including human metapneumovirus. On social media, it has been posted that multiple viruses HMPV, Influenza A, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and Covid 19 filled up the hospitals and cemeteries.
Speculators suggesting that HMPV is on the rise tremendously causing symptoms similar to flu and Covid-19 educating health officials.
Videos that went viral captured intimidating crowds in hospitals; there were social media posts with unproven stories of emergent crises in China. The event has raised concerns of a possible pandemic five years after coronavirus revolutionized the world’s ways of living.
Table of Contents
But, to the best of my knowledge, none from any number of reputable news agencies has been validated. China’s health officials and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have not described any new type of Pandemic or any alarming signals.
The WHO has also not made any declaration of any health crisis with relation to HMPV.
All you need to know about HMPV Virus
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) identified by the American Lung Association as the leading cause of acute respiratory disease. Dutch researchers found HMPV in 2001 and the virus easily transmits from person-to-person through respiratory droplets expelled during coughing or sneezing, or by touching a contaminated object.
HMPV Symptoms
HMPV seen peaks during the winter and spring season in the United States just like all other respiratory viruses including RSV and flu.
Human metapneumovirus signs and symptoms may be mild or severe, and other signs are cough, fever, nasal congestion, and sore throat. Some people might also develop wheezing and breathlessness way than normal (dyspnea).
In some instances, the rash appears as a result of the infection itself as well as other symptoms.
Who does it affect and how?
HMPV is more severe in children, the elderly, immunocompromised individuals or those with chronic illnesses.
People can get sick from COVID-19 by being within 6-feet from an infected person or contacting contaminated objects.
HMPV commonly results in mild respiratory illness with predominant signs and symptoms similar to the common cold and ordinarily subsides within two to five days.
More than 90% of HMPV infected children are below the age of 5 years. Only a small number (5 to 16%) may go on to pneumonias which are lower respiratory tract infections.
HMPV can cause both upper and lower respiratory tract diseases at all ages of the populace. Nevertheless, the infection is r Chu or in young children or the elderly; the child in the picture below had bronchiolitis, bronchial pneumonia, and respiratory failure.
Contrary to this, patients with prior lung illnesses such as bronchial asthma, COPD or emphysema do not stand a higher risk of contracting HMPV but their symptoms will be severe if they get infected.
And the same as with other immunocompromised patients meaning with people who are tasked with chemotherapy or came through the organ transplant surgery.
How does HMPV spread?
Like many respiratory viruses, HMPV means show a general pattern of transmission. Transmission occurs through:
- Igloos from coughing and sneezing
- Hand shake or any physical touching with another individual With other person or with any foreign body
- Sharing contaminated objects and touching the face, mouth, nose and eyes
How to prevent HMPV?
Procedures to prevent HMPV are much like those of other respiratory diseases: Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Use soap and water to wash your hands for not less than 20 seconds.
- Do not touch the face especially with sticky hands.
- Avoid close contact with any person who has flu-like symptoms.
- Disinfect objects that are likely to be often touched by kids like doorknob and toys.
What should those with HMPV symptoms do?
If one has symptoms of HMPV or the regular winter flu or cold, then the virus will not spread with the observance of basic measures of hygiene.
Cover the mouth and nose: Whenever one is sneezing or coughing, he or she should use a tissue in order not to spread the droplets.
Wash hands regularly: Washing the hand with soap and water for not less than 20 seconds can help in reducing the spread of the infections.
Avoid sharing personal items: It may be wise not to share utensils, cups or other items likely to spread the virus from one person to another.
Stay at home: In case you are having one or many of the symptoms, then the best thing is to sick at home so that you don’t infect other people.
Is there any vaccine available for the disease?
To date, no antiviral drug or formal vaccine is available for HMPV. Treatment for the illness is symptomatic, as there are no specific treatment for infected individuals; the main priority is to prevent further deterioration of their health.
Information on how HMPV Virus differs from COVID-19.
The flu like symptoms that people experiencing HMPV show include coughing, fever, congestion, sore throat and shortness of breath, and is passed through droplets in the air like COVID-19, as stated in WebMD.
These symptoms can be acute, and sometimes necessitate hospitalisation. HMPV presents seasonality with highest prevalence in winter and spring not like COVID-19 which can occur seasonally given the ever changing strains.
Research shows that when COVID restrains were eased, HMPV cases soared three folds in some news areas. A reduction of exposure to viruses during the periods of lockdown probably reduced immunity, resulting in increased cases of respiratory illnesses when measures were eased.
“No Cause For Alarm”: Indian Health Agency On HMPV Virus Outbreak In China
An executive of the nation’s source of technical information on health concerns has urged the public not to be alarmed with the transmission of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.
DGHS official Dr Atul Goel advised taking general precautions against all the respiratory infections.
“… If not, there is no reason to be worried about the current position, Dr Goel added.
Currently, no antiviral therapy has been developed to target HMPV infection; therefore, prevention becomes paramount, physicians have noted.
There is information that circulating in the news regarding an outbreak of Metapneumovirus in China. On that score, let me be very definite. The metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus, which gives common flu like symptoms, and in the very old and the very young it can give flu-like symptoms,’ Dr Goel said reporters today.
We have looked at the data of respiratory outbreak in the country. In December 2024 data is not significantly higher and there is no cases and these have not come from any of our institutions en masse,’ he said.
Dr Goel said that there is anyway a higher incidence of respiratory viral infections during winters, for which the hospitals are ready with stock of essentials and availability of beds.
“One message to the public I would like to emphasize is to as we take general precautions that we use when having a flu and cough you shouldn’t move around freely in order not to spread the flu,” he said.
‘For coughing and especially sneezing, one should make use of a different handkerchief or towel and take normal medications that would be needed for normal fever or cold where it is present,’ he said.
Speaking to ANI the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under Union Health Ministry has also continued to watch respiratory and seasonal influenza, it is in touch with various agencies.
Chin has recently witnessed the emergence of the new respiratory disease, which has evoked the possibility of another COVID type situation across the globe.
China on Tuesday defended its transparency in providing details of Covid-19 after the World Health Organisation called on Beijing to provide more information and data to establish the roots of the disease.
The virus emerged in late December 2020 in Wuhan, central China, and has since claimed millions of lives and crushed economies and health care systems. On Monday, the organization published the statement saying that the Chinese authorities needed to provide more information as it was a moral and scientific imperative to do so.
In response, China defended its transparency saying it had made the ‘largest contribution to global origin tracing research’.
For more updates follow: Latest News on NEWZZY
