Virus outbreak in northern China: Hospitals at the limit by HMPV!

Virus outbreak in northern China: Hospitals at the limit by HMPV!

Nordchina, China - In the northern China, the Humane Metapneumovirus (HMPV) spreads alarmingly quickly. This respiratory virus, which was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001, is a significant threat, especially for children, older people and people with a weakened immune system. Overcrowded hospitals and long queues are shown on social media, which increases the fears of a new health crisis, as well as vol.at reports . Despite the concern about the high infection rate, the authorities assure that the situation is under control. "The cases are less serious and less common than in the previous year," said Mao Ning, spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, and thus provided an optimistic view.

The HMPV causes symptoms that are similar to those of a cold or flu, but can lead to bronchitis and pneumonia in severe cases. In recent years it has been shown that the virus is particularly active in the winter months when respiratory infections reach its peak. However, there are currently neither vaccines nor special antiviral drugs against HMPV, which complicated the situation. Experts like Prof. Paul Griffin from Mater Health Services emphasize the importance of elementary precautions to limit the distribution.

invisible threats of an old enemy

HMPV belongs to the Pneumoviridae family and is recognized as one of the main causes of acute respiratory diseases. Information from research shows that viral infection in small children under the age of two can be a risk factor for the development of asthma in later life. The frequency of HMPV infections is comparable to that of influenza, and about 10–12% of the respiratory diseases in children are associated with this, which makes this virus one of the most common reasons for hospitalization in young children, such as The ncbi pmc platform determines .