HMPV cases in northern provinces declining: China
“At present, the rate of positive cases in human metapneumovirus detection is fluctuating, and the rate of positive cases in northern provinces is declining,” said Liping, during a press briefing by China's National Health Commission.
)
Cases of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory illness, is declining in the northern provinces, said Chinese officials.
Assuring that HMPV is a decades-old virus, Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that the rise in case was due to better detection.
“At present, the rate of positive cases in human metapneumovirus detection is fluctuating, and the rate of positive cases in northern provinces is declining,” said Liping, during a press briefing by China's National Health Commission.
“The rate of positive cases among patients aged 14 and below has started to decline," she added.
Liping noted the increase in recent years in the number of cases of the virus, first detected in the Netherlands in 2001, is due to better detection methods.
“The human metapneumovirus is not a new virus, and has been with humans for at least several decades," said Liping added.
Earlier, several photos and videos emerged on social media showing hospitals in China swamped with people amid rising cases of HMPV -- causing respiratory illness -- and raising serious concerns of another pandemic akin to Covid-19. The Chinese government has dismissed this as an annual winter occurrence.
“Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. Recently, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of China held a press conference to share information about the prevention and control of respiratory diseases in China during the wintertime,” said China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.
“The diseases appear to be less severe and spread on a smaller scale compared with the previous year,” Ning said.
Meanwhile, India has recorded about 10 cases, majorly from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Assam. The majority of cases occurred in children between infants aged 3-month-old to 13 years.
HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and is part of the Pneumoviridae family along with the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The virus can lead to upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are majorly affected.
Symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.
Wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and increasing immunity can help prevent the disease.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.
RECOMMENDED STORIES

New Tax Regime Slabs: Is your annual salary Rs 12,87,500? Do you need to pay tax on Rs 12,500 or Rs 12,87,500? See calculations to know

SIP, One-time Investments for Retirement Planning: Want to get Rs 60,000 monthly income at 60? Know how much you need to invest if you are 25, 30, 35, or 40 years old?

Top 7 SBI Mutual Fund MFs by One-time Investment Return: Rs 1 lakh has grown to Rs 2.85 lakh-3.48 lakh in 5 years; see list, compare SIP returns

SBI Senior Citizen FD Rates: Know what PSU bank is giving on Rs 1,50,000, Rs 2,50,000, and Rs 3,50,000 investments in fixed deposits

SBI 444-day FD vs SBI 400-day FD: Which can give you higher maturities on Rs 2 lakh, 4 lakh, and 6 lakh investments?

Income Tax Calculations: What will be your tax liability if your salary is Rs 8 lakh, Rs 14 lakh, Rs 20 lakh, and Rs 26 lakh?

Dearness Allowance (DA) Calculations: Is your basic monthly salary Rs 25,500, Rs 35,400, or Rs 53,100? Know how much DA will you get at different rates
10:53 AM IST