New Delhi, January 13 (IANS). Regarding cases of the respiratory disease human metapneumovirus (HMPV), Chinese officials said that these cases are declining in northern provinces.
Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, assured that HMPV is a decades-old virus.
“Currently, the rate of positive cases of human metapneumovirus is fluctuating, and the rate is decreasing in northern provinces,” Liping said during a press briefing by China’s National Health Commission.
“The rate of positive cases in the age group of 14 years and below has started to decline,” he said.
Liping said the number of virus cases has seen an increase in recent years. This virus was first detected in the Netherlands in 2001.
“Human metapneumovirus is not a new virus, and it has been around among humans for at least several decades,” Liping said. Earlier, several photos and videos had surfaced on social media showing rising cases of hMPV in hospitals in China. A crowd of people was seen in the middle.
“Respiratory infections peak during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere,” said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning. A press conference was organized to give information about.
“The diseases are less severe and spreading on a smaller scale than last year,” Ning said.
Meanwhile, about 10 cases have been reported in India, most of which are from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Assam. These cases have occurred in children ranging from 3 months to 13 years of age.
HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and is part of the Pneumoviridae family along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
This virus can cause upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are more affected.
Symptoms associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and difficulty breathing.
–IANS
MKS/AS
