False alarm or real repetition? Five years after the emergence of Covid-19, a recent increase in cases of human metapneumovirus (hMPV), a flu-like virus, in northern China is causing concern.
A new evil seems to be plaguing Asia. Several reports indicate a wave of infections in China with a virus similar to the flu, MPVh, causing concern five years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But experts assure that the situation is not comparable. What do we know so far?
What do the Chinese authorities say?
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced at the end of the year to set up “active surveillance for pneumonia of unknown origin” as part of the development of its general prevention strategy.
“The MPVh positivity rate among children aged 14 and under has shown an increasing trend,” said official Kan Biao, responding to a question about “the intertwining of several infectious diseases” since the start of the pandemic. ‘winter.
“The scale and intensity of spread of infectious respiratory diseases remain lower than last year,” he said.
“There is no risk in traveling to China”added the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Friday.
Similar to the flu
MPVh, which means “human metapneumovirus”, usually causes a mild upper respiratory infection.
It is transmitted by direct contact between people or after touching a contaminated surface.
Common symptoms include a cough, fever, or runny nosesymptoms very similar to many types of colds and flu.
Young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems may have more severe symptoms.
Public health advice for MPVh is similar to that for influenza, John Tregoning, professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, told AFP.
In case of infection, you must “rest, drink and avoid transmitting it to others”specifies the specialist.
“Ventilating spaces well, covering your mouth when coughing, or washing your hands” limits the risk of infection, he adds.
Different from Covid-19
The coronavirus responsible for Covid-19 was unknown when it emerged in humans at the end of 2019.
The human population had never been exposed to it and was not immune, increasing the risk of complications.
Conversely, MPVh has been circulating for decadeswhich implies a certain level of immunity.
The virus “is part of the cocktail of viruses to which we are exposed every winter”, recalls John Tregoning.
“Almost every child will have at least one hPVD infection before their fifth birthday,” says Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom.
And many people will be contaminated several times during their lives, he adds.
Normal levels
Images of masked patients flocking to hospital emergency departments have circulated widely on Chinese social media in recent weeks, although such scenes are not unusual in winter.
This information has caused concern around the world, some recalling China’s supposed lack of transparency during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Several Chinese citizens who had warned about the seriousness of the pandemic had notably disappeared.
Last December, the World Health Organization (WHO) again asked China to share its data on the Covid-19 pandemic in order to better prepare for future health crises.
Beijing responded that it had shared its information “without any restrictions”.
The WHO, however, sought to allay fears surrounding MPVh.
“Reported levels of respiratory infections in China remain within normal range”that is to say consistent with what is “expected for a winter season,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said on Tuesday.
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