In northern China, authorities are observing a peak in contamination with the human metapneumovirus or HMPV virus. A situation which is reminiscent of the beginnings of the Covid-19 pandemic, causing many Internet users to fear the scenario of confinement. A real threat? A doctor takes stock of the situation.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns it has led to are traumatic events for many members of the population. In recent days, an increase in cases of human metapneumovirus or HMPV virus has been recorded in northern China. A situation that is panicking the web: on social networks, many Internet users fear a new confinement. Is such a scenario possible to counter the development of this disease?
From the site Doctissimo, Doctor Gérald Kierzek takes stock of the situation by sharing his analysis of the rise in cases of the HMPV virus. The specialist immediately reassures by recalling that the human pneumovirus is a disease known to the medical world unlike Sars-Cov-2 responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic.
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HMPV virus: symptoms similar to those of the flu
What is this disease that is panicking the web? “HMPV, a respiratory virus discovered in 2001, belongs to the same family as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It causes symptoms similar to those of the flu, such as fever, cough and nasal congestion”explains the doctor Gérald Kierzek from the site Doctissimo.
In addition to already being known in the medical sphere, this virus differs from Covid-19 on another point. “It is important to note that, unlike SARS-CoV-2, HMPV does not originate from the animal kingdom and a large part of the population already has basic immunization”insists the doctor. Should we be concerned about HMPV cases increasing in northern China? No reason to panic according to the Chinese authorities who indicate that the recorded cases correspond to the usual seasonal figures.
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-HMPV virus: should we fear confinement?
Gérald Kierzek calls on us not to give in to panic regarding the situation depicted by certain videos on social networks which show overloaded hospitals. “Hospitals are experiencing overcrowding due to this upsurge but the health system is already saturated,” specifies the specialist. The doctor also brushes aside the “absurd” idea of seeing a new confinement established due to the HMPV virus. “As for confinement, the COVID episode showed a posteriori that it was not necessarily the right solution to reiterate. So we’re monitoring and we’re not panicking!”concludes doctor Gérald Kierzek to our colleagues.
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For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not consider the HMPV virus to be “a health threat requiring exceptional measures, such as confinement”. If the HMPV virus is similar to Covid-19 by its method of propagation or by the fact that it proves more dangerous in populations at risk, like most viruses, – infants, pregnant women and immunocompromised people – the authorities are calling not to panic.
A journalist passionate about social issues and current affairs, Hugo puts his pen at the service of information. Interested in all themes, from the impact of artificial intelligence on…
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