The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently keeping a close eye on rising reports of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in China.
A spokesperson from the CDC provided a statement to Newsweek, saying, “CDC is aware of the reported increases in HMPV in China and maintains regular communication with international partners while monitoring disease reports. At this moment, these reports do not pose a significant concern for the U.S.”
As reported by Newsweek, HMPV is a virus resembling influenza, with symptoms that may include fever, coughing, shortness of breath, and nasal congestion. The report also highlighted that HMPV cases generally peak during the winter and spring seasons.
According to Newsweek, the CDC confirmed that its National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) is tracking HMPV activity across the United States, ensuring that any potential increases in cases will be swiftly detected and reported.
“The activity of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in the United States is now resembling trends similar to those observed in the pre-pandemic years,” the CDC spokesperson noted. “During the last week of December 2024, 1.4 percent of diagnostic test submissions for HMPV to NREVSS returned positive results.”
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Fox News reported that in spite of the uptick in HMPV cases in China, officials from China have asserted that the increase is normal for this time of year and is less severe compared to previous years. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in a release on Friday, “Respiratory infections typically peak during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Dr. Eileen Schneider, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases, previously noted that HMPV is “associated with approximately 20,000 hospitalizations in children under the age of 5.” She emphasized that the virus can pose risks for “older adults and immunocompromised individuals.”
Dr. Schneider further explained that the symptoms of HMPV are “often clinically indistinguishable from those caused by other common respiratory viruses, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.”
In light of rising concerns regarding the HMPV situation in China, Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told Newsweek, “HMPV is not necessarily more dangerous than RSV, COVID-19, or influenza, but it does raise concern since there is currently no vaccine or effective antiviral medication available for treating HMPV.”
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