The speed of HMPV infections in northern China is declining, Chinese language well being official says

The speed of infections with the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in northern China is declining, a well being official mentioned 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 youngsters, older adults and people immunocompromised.

“The human metapneumovirus isn’t a new virus, and has been with people for at the least a number of a long time,” mentioned 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 lately within the variety of circumstances of the virus, first detected within the Netherlands in 2001, is because of higher detection strategies.

“At current, the speed of constructive circumstances in human metapneumovirus detection is fluctuating, and the speed of constructive circumstances in northern provinces is declining, and the speed of constructive circumstances amongst sufferers aged 14 and under has began to say no,” she mentioned.

Issues surfaced in current days over a surge in HMPV infections in northern China after photos circulated on-line of hospitals overrun with masked sufferers. The World Well being Group mentioned it has not obtained stories of bizarre outbreaks in China or elsewhere.

Consultants say HMPV is not like 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 mentioned respiratory ailments at present 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 typically decrease in comparison with the identical interval final yr, mentioned Gao Xinqiang, deputy director of the Division of Medical Emergency Response of the well being fee.

“There isn’t any apparent scarcity of medical sources,” Gao mentioned.

Flu infections throughout the nation are anticipated to steadily decline in mid-to-late January, mentioned fee spokesperson Hu Qiangqiang.

There aren’t any vaccines or medicine obtainable for HMPV. Consultants advocate precautions in opposition to catching the virus and different respiratory ailments together with washing one’s arms commonly, avoiding crowds if doable, and carrying a masks in crowded locations.

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