Is the HMPV pneumococcal virus increasing in China similar to Covid-19?
Recently, the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) has reported on a number of foreign websites about an outbreak in China, with many cases (Human Metapneumovirus – HMPV).
In week 52 of 2024, as an influenza virus, H.
However, the number of respiratory infections with flu-like symptoms is currently lower than in the same period in 2023.
In particular, HMPV is said to spread rapidly, with symptoms similar to flu and Covid-19, causing some people to worry that the world may be facing a new pandemic.
Talk to journalistsDan TriAssociate Professor Do Van Duong, former Head of the Department of Public Health, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said that HMPV and (the cause of Covid-19) are both single-stranded RNA viruses.
Positive-strand viruses have the ability to use their own RNA to synthesize virus structures immediately after entering cells, so they can multiply rapidly.
In terms of epidemiological characteristics, the basic replication rate of HMPV is 2, while SARS-CoV-2 can be up to 5 or more for the delta variant.
Therefore, HMPV has a very limited distribution range, usually occurring at the end of winter, while SARS-CoV-2 can cause epidemics at any time due to its rapid spread.
HMPV usually causes mild fever and respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, cough and wheezing.
From the above reasons, Mr. Dung affirmed that HMPV has a significantly lower risk level than Covid-19.
In addition, according to public health experts, the HMPV virus is not a new virus but it has been found to spread in many areas in North America, Europe, Australia, India and Pakistan in addition to China.
However, as mentioned, H.
That means, wash your hands regularly, especially with soap or disinfectant, limit touching your face, let the air in the room breathe, avoid crowded places, wear a mask and don’t get too close to others.
Patients with respiratory symptoms (especially the elderly, people with chronic illnesses, or children) should stay home and seek medical attention if their illness is severe.
Therefore, if an epidemic appears or spreads in Vietnam, people do not need to worry too much.
HMPV is not a new virus.
On January 7, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health announced that HMPV is not a new virus and will be one of the causes of respiratory infections in children in the region in 2023 and 2024.
A report from the Community Pneumonia Research Program indicates that pathogens such as viruses and bacteria remain common.
Research collaborators include Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Khanh Hoa Provincial General Hospital, Nha Trang Pasteur Institute and Center for Infectious Diseases Country Singapore (part of the PREPARE project).
Specifically, test results of 103 community-acquired pneumonia patients (including 56 children and 47 adults) hospitalized at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases from July to December 2024 showed that HMPV contains small amounts (12.5% in children). ).
In addition, results of monitoring some common viral agents were recorded during the outbreak of respiratory infections in children in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of 2023.
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