New Virus Cases Surge Across China, Northern Region Worst Affected

Respiratory illnesses are proliferating at a rapid pace, which has led to overburdened hospitals, and the China's healthcare systems, causing panic among the residents of this east Asian nation.

The health authorities in China have confirmed the spread of Human metapneumovirus, a respiratory virus, across the northern regions of this nation. The CDC has also confirmed that northern China is most impacted by HMPV, which is found to commonly spread among children. This has further fueled public health woes.

As of now, neither has the Chinese officials nor the WHO described the present spread of HMPV virus as a state of emergency.

Is there a vaccine for this new respiratory virus in China?

While the existence of the HMPV virus is known for over two decades, there's no available vaccine to treat people from this respiratory virus.

Health experts want people of China to adhere to strictly to public health guidelines to ensure the virus does not spread. The common people have advised by authorities to cleanse their hands, and wear masks among other standard precautions.

Presently, health authorities are observing patterns of bird flu outbreak as well as the surge in spread of HMPV virus.

Meanwhile, Japan's health authorities are actively working to address the influenza outbreak. 4,259 flu patients were reported in one week leading up to December 15th across 5,000 hospitals. The tally of influenza cases in Japan for the current season has reached 7,18,000, according to media reports.

What is the HMPV virus?

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) defines Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), belonging to the Pneumoviridae, Metapneumovirus genus, as an enveloped single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus. It can cause upper, and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages, especially among children.

In 2001, it was first detected by Dutch scholars in nasopharyngeal aspirate samples of children with respiratory infections caused by unknown pathogens.

Meanwhile, the U.S Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) recommends health experts to consider treating people for HMPV during winter, and spring, given the rise of HMPV.

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