Health officials in the United States have expressed alarm about a developing epidemic of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) that might resemble previous crises in a world still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alarming footage of packed hospitals in China has surfaced, according to Knewz.com, as calls for transparency on the outbreak have been more pressing.
Recent reports claim that HMPV has rocked China, overwhelming healthcare facilities and leading to a sharp increase in hospitalizations.
Although Beijing has not yet responded to the upsetting viral pictures of crowded waiting rooms, experts think that the little-known HMPV is fueling the spread, which has so far mostly affected youngsters and the elderly.
Chinese officials’ secrecy about the virus has added to growing concerns, rekindling anxieties from the early stages of the pandemic when information was only gradually made public.
Health experts have expressed concern about the situation as the U.S. has seen an increase in reported HMPV cases, with positive test results doubling between the beginning and the end of December.
Nearly 300 positive HMPV test results were recorded in the final week of December, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This increase in U.S. cases is consistent with China’s inconsistent reporting on the virus’s severity and distribution.
First discovered in 2001, HMPV often produces minor respiratory symptoms akin to a cold; nevertheless, serious consequences like pneumonia and bronchitis can arise, especially in at-risk groups like children, the elderly, and people with impaired immune systems.
Estimates indicate that 10 to 30 percent of hospitalized HPMV cases may be fatal, which heightens concern over the quickly spreading virus.
In his remarks, Dr. Senanayake compared the HMPV outbreak in China to what he called a “bad flu season” in the United States.
He continued: “At this stage, the likelihood is that China is experiencing a bad HMPV season, in the same way that in some years we have an overwhelming flu season.”
According to RMIT University professor Vasso Apostolopoulos, the increase in HMPV cases necessitates more thorough monitoring and surveillance.
Apostolopoulos continued: “Ensuring effective monitoring and timely responses will be key to mitigating the public health risks of this outbreak.”
The Chinese CDC has oddly discounted alarmist reports while simultaneously advising the public to follow preventive measures like hand washing, despite the mounting instances and experts’ concerns.
Mao Ning, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, denied claims that things have gotten out of hand.
According to Ning, respiratory illnesses typically reach their peak in the winter. In comparison to the previous year, the diseases seem to be less severe and are spreading on a smaller scale.
However, specialists have cautioned that when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, respiratory droplets are released into the air, which is how HMPV is spread. Shaking hands or other close intimate contact can potentially serve as a disease vector. Researchers also calculated that HMPV is responsible for one out of every ten respiratory diseases that affect youngsters in the United States.
Professor John Tregoning, an expert in vaccine immunology, maintained that HMPV is not a novel issue despite the growing cause for alarm.
According to Tregoning, “HMPV is not a new virus; it was first isolated in 2001 but most likely has been circulating for much longer.”
Additionally, “this is very different from the COVID-19 pandemic, where the virus was completely new in humans,” said Professor Jill Carr, a virologist at Flinders University.
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