Agency
Experts have advised Ugandans traveling to China to exercise caution and adhere to Standard Operating Procedures, as increasing cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) – an acute respiratory infection – have raised global concern.
In a recent report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, it was revealed that hospitals in China are being overwhelmed with cases of HMPV. “Based on data published by China, covering the period up to 29 December 2024, acute respiratory infections have increased during recent weeks and detections of seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, RSV, and hMPV, particularly in northern provinces of China have also increased”, the report reads in part.
Owing to this, Prof Wilber Sabiti a Senior Research Scientist on Respiratory disease at Makerere University Lung Institute says while the current trend does not present an emergency, Ugandans traveling to China should seek as much information as possible on provinces that are most affected.
He advises that travelers need to practice proper hand hygiene and use face masks as a precautionary measure. According to media reports, the Northern provinces of China have experienced the biggest surge in HMPV infection where children are the most affected.
This outbreak comes five years after the world was notified about an emergence of a new virus in Wuhan China which later came to be known as the Corona Virus.COVID-19 later on spread to the entire world becoming a global pandemic and killing millions of people across the world.
Now, while Sabiti who is also a member of the Interdisciplinary Consortium for Epidemic Research (ICER) warns that the current pneumonia in China shouldn’t be taken lightly, he says HMPV is not new having initially been discovered in Netherlands in 2001.
He told URN that apart from children, it mostly serious among people whose immunity is compromised such as those living with HIV and other chronic diseases. According to WHO, HMPV is now a common respiratory virus found to circulate in many countries in winter through to spring, although not all countries routinely test and publish data on trends in the virus.
While some cases can be hospitalized with bronchitis or pneumonia, the organization notes most people infected with HMPV have mild upper respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold and recover after a few days. They further note in a report that, the current trends of infection in China are still within the expected range during this season, although the outbreak has sparked concern especially among social media users.
However, no travel restrictions or advisories have been issued by any country as far as the outbreak is concerned.
