China announced on Sunday that the number of instances of infections with the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is decreasing, amidst fears around the world.
According to the Associated Press, Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, stressed that HMPV is not a novel virus and has been in people for at least a few decades. Wang went on to say that improved detection techniques are to blame for the rise in recent years in the virus’s cases, which were initially discovered in the Netherlands in 2001.
“The rate of positive cases in human metapneumovirus detection is currently fluctuating, declining in northern provinces, and declining among patients aged 14 and under,” she stated.
According to the Associated Press, Gao Xinqiang, deputy director of the Health Commission’s Department of Medical Emergency Response, stated that although the number of patients in fever clinics and emergency rooms nationwide has been increasing, they are still generally fewer than during the same time last year. The news agency cited him as stating, “There is no obvious shortage of medical resources.”
A common respiratory virus, the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) usually causes moderate symptoms similar to a cold. Although scientists initially discovered it in 2001, studies reveal that it has been present in human populations since the 1970s.
Around the world, the virus causes 4–16% of acute respiratory infections; incidences typically peak between November and May. Infants who are exposed to hMPV for the first time and those with compromised immune systems may experience more severe symptoms, even though most adults have established immunity via prior exposure.
After unconfirmed photos of hospitals crowded with masked patients went viral online, worries about an increase in HMPV infections in northern China arose in recent days. There have been no reports of any exceptional outbreaks in China or anywhere else, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to experts, HMPV has existed for decades and many people are naturally immune to it, unlike coronavirus. By the age of five, the majority of kids have contracted the virus. There are no medications or vaccinations for HMPV.