At a press briefing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stressed that HMPV, identified more than 60 years ago, is a “common virus” causing respiratory tract infections. superior to “self-limiting” nature.
This position is confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO), whose spokesperson, Margaret Harris, declared last Tuesday that “reported levels of respiratory infections in China remain within a normal range”, consistent with this which is “expected for a winter season”.
The WHO said in a statement that China has an established surveillance system for severe acute respiratory infections, including HMPV, with detailed reports published weekly by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Jiakun, the current scale and intensity of infectious respiratory diseases in China are lower than those observed in the same period last year.
Beijing maintains close communication with the WHO to share information on these respiratory diseases, he said.
HMPV primarily causes mild upper respiratory infections, with symptoms comparable to a seasonal cold or flu.
The virus is transmitted either by direct contact between individuals or by contact with contaminated surfaces. The most common clinical manifestations include cough, fever and runny nose.
Certain populations are more vulnerable to this virus and can develop more severe forms of the disease, notably young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.
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