Recently, the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that recently a number of foreign websites reported on the epidemic occurring in China, with many cases (Human Metapneumovirus – HMPV).
According to a report by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in the 52nd week of 2024, respiratory diseases such as influenza virus, HMPV and RSV are increasing due to seasonal weather conditions.
However, the number of respiratory infections with flu-like symptoms is currently lower than in the same period in 2023.
In particular, HMPV is considered to spread quickly, with symptoms similar to flu and Covid-19, causing some people to express concern that the world may have a new pandemic.
Talk to reportersDan triAssociate Professor Do Van Dung, former Head of the Department of Public Health, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said that HMPV and (causing Covid-19) are both single-stranded RNA viruses.
Positive-strand viruses have the ability to use their 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 that of SARS-CoV-2 can be up to 5 or higher for the Delta variant.
Therefore, HMPV has a more limited ability to spread, usually occurring in late winter, while SARS-CoV-2 can occur in any season with rapid spread, forming a pandemic.
HMPV usually causes mild fever and respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, cough and wheezing.
From the above reasons, Mr.
Also according to public health experts, the HMPV virus is not a new virus, it has been discovered circulating in many areas, in addition to China, also in North America, Europe, Australia, India and Pakistan.
However, as mentioned, HMPV is not capable of causing serious illness and prevention of this virus is similar to other respiratory diseases such as colds and flu.
This means washing your hands often, especially with soap or antiseptics, avoiding touching your face, keeping your room and house well-ventilated, avoiding crowded places, wearing a mask, and not standing too close to others.
If respiratory symptoms are present, patients (especially the elderly, people with underlying medical conditions, or children) should stay home and seek medical treatment if at risk of serious illness.
Therefore, people do not need to worry too much if an epidemic appears or circulates in Vietnam.
HMPV is not a new virus
On January 7, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that HMPV is not a new virus and is one of the causes of respiratory infections in children in 2023 and 2024 locally.
As reported by the Community Pneumonia Research Program, 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 from July to December 2024 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City showed that HMPV accounts for a small proportion (12.5% in children). ) compared to other pathogens that cause community-acquired pneumonia.
Furthermore, during the outbreak of respiratory infections in children at the end of 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, surveillance results also recorded many common viral agents.
