Doctors advise people not to panic, but to proactively prevent human pneumonia virus (HMPV).
The human metapneumovirus (HMPV) pneumonia outbreak in China is not a new virus; it is completely preventable through personal hygiene measures.
Not a health emergency yet
January 2, 2025, information from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention: In the last week of 2024, the number of respiratory disease cases increased significantly. This increase continued the increase that occurred last week. This is the peak of the "respiratory disease season". The cases are mainly located in the northern provinces, especially in children under 14 years old.
Also according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, key surveillance results showed that samples collected from hospitalized severe acute respiratory infections recorded the main agents as influenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and human metapneumovirus (HMPV).
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) was first discovered in 2001. HMPV is one of the agents that cause upper and lower respiratory tract infections in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. In severe cases, this virus can lead to complications such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
The virus spreads from person to person through direct contact or indirectly through contaminated surfaces, with the risk increasing during winter and early spring.
Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for HMPV. Therefore, it is important to implement disease prevention measures as recommended by the health sector.
On January 4, 2025, the Chinese Foreign Ministry informed that the respiratory infection spreading in the country is a routine disease, not an unusual medical event, and that respiratory infections usually peak at this time of year in the world's most populous country.
The World Health Organization has not yet declared HMPV a global health emergency. Experts say the increase in cases in China coincides with a global trend, with respiratory illnesses tending to increase in the late winter months.
In some countries, HMPV infections occur year-round. HMPV infections often increase at the end of the year, possibly due to increased social gatherings and holiday travel.
Experts say: Although HMPV and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses, HMPV is less severe with a lower mortality rate. HMPV has been known for a long time and is no longer as severe as it once was. However, HMPV is more common in children than COVID-19. The virus can aggravate underlying conditions such as asthma, and sometimes requires hospitalization.
Recorded in Ho Chi Minh City
In Vietnam, after receiving the information, the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health has been proactively following the developments of the epidemic caused by the virus causing pneumonia in humans in China; closely coordinating with the World Health Organization, the focal point for implementing IHR in China to update information and proactively provide and share complete and accurate information...
On January 7, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health informed about the disease caused by the HMPV virus that is breaking out in China and is not a new virus. This is one of the agents that cause respiratory infections in children and has been recorded in Ho Chi Minh City at a low rate compared to other agents.
In 2023 and 2024, HMPV was found to be one of the agents causing respiratory infections in children. Specifically, the test results of 103 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (including 56 children and 47 adults) hospitalized from July to December 2024 at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases showed that HMPV accounted for a small proportion of 12.5% in children compared to other agents causing community-acquired pneumonia.
In addition, during the outbreak of respiratory infections in children in late 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, surveillance results also recorded a diversity of common viral agents, of which the HMPV agent was also detected at a rate of 15%.
Take hygiene measures to prevent disease
According to health experts: People should not be too panicked when following information about HMPV on social networks. Most of this information has not been verified. However, people should not be subjective about the epidemic but should proactively implement prevention and control measures.
How to prevent HMPV:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in public places.
- When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands to reduce the risk of infection.
- Regularly clean surfaces such as doorknobs, phones and keyboards with disinfectant.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away immediately.
- Keep a safe distance from people with respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and sneezing.
- If you or someone in your family is unwell, avoid going out to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep to support immune function.
- Use a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated places to reduce the risk of transmission through respiratory droplets.Master, Doctor Nguyen Trong Di - Head of Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control
Families with young children need to pay attention to monitor symptoms of virus infection and take health protection measures. When children have symptoms, they need to take them to a medical facility for examination and treatment; do not buy medicine for treatment on your own. All families need to fully vaccinate their children, according to the recommendations of health authorities./.
