Like a sense of déjà vu.
An unusual increase in respiratory virus infections is currently being observed in China and is causing concern among infectious disease specialists and health authorities, raising fears of a possible global epidemic. We all remember the beginnings of Covid 5 years ago… Since mid-December, the number of patients has been particularly high in hospitals in the northern provinces of the country, particularly among children under 4 years old. An increase in cases was also observed in Malaysia, Kazakhstan, as well as in India where health surveillance was strengthened. Closer to France, in the United Kingdom, the British Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) is also reporting an increase in cases of HMPV.
This virus is not new and is well known to virologists since it is the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory virus which belongs to the RSV family and which causes symptoms similar to flu: fever, runny nose. runny or blocked, cough, wheezing, sore throat, hoarse voice, muscle pain. Most infections are mild and resolve spontaneously, sometimes with symptomatic treatment. On the other hand, it can cause complications and develop into pneumonia or bronchiolitis in infants, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system or a lung disorder (chronic lung disease, severe asthma). There is currently no vaccine against this virus.
Although it is closely monitored and undeniably reminiscent of the virus responsible for the global Covid pandemic, this virus does not appear to pose a threat to global health. “It is completely different from the Covid-19 virus which was completely new in humans and was born from contamination by animals and spread at pandemic levels because there was no prior exposure or protective immunity in the community“, reassured Jill Carr, virologist at the Faculty of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University (Australia) to the media Politico. While this is a priority for China’s healthcare system, it should not lead to immediate concerns about another pandemic“An increase in cases is typical of winter seasons, but this virus is expected.”gradually die out in March“, indicated for his part Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At this stage, it is therefore likely that China is going through a bad season of the HMPV virus, in the same way that in some years we are experiencing a crushing flu season.
Like all respiratory viruses, this virus spreads through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Most people get sick 3 to 5 days after coming into contact with the virus. To protect yourself, virologists recommend wearing a mask in enclosed or crowded places, washing your hands regularly and cleaning surfaces that you touch regularly (door handles, telephones, etc.). For the moment, there are no reports in France.