“The WHO assures that the metapneumovirus from China does not pose a threat The metapneumovirus hMPV, which is spreading in China, is not new and does not pose a serious threat. According to the WHO, the virus has a very low mortality rate and causes symptoms similar to the common cold.”, — write on: unn.ua
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According to Margaret Harris, cases of such infections are expected to increase in China during the winter, with seasonal flu being “by far the most common.”
Authorities say hospital workloads are now lower than at the same time last year, and no emergencies or response measures have been declared
As for the metapneumovirus, it was first discovered in 2001, and “is present in the human population for a long time,” said the WHO spokeswoman.
Margaret Harris added that it is a common virus that circulates in winter and spring and usually “causes respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold”. Like any of the hundreds of known cold viruses, it can lead to more serious illness in immunocompromised patients, especially newborns and the elderly.
Asked about the death rate from hMPV, Harris described it as “very, very low.”
It is not a pathogen that usually kills people, except for the most vulnerable
For safety purposes, she recommended “simple” preventive measures, such as wearing a mask, improving ventilation in closed spaces and washing hands.
Talking about another bird virus, H5N1, the spokeswoman of the World Health Organization assured that the risk from it remains “low”.
Margaret Harris emphasized that it “does not circulate in the human body, but transfers to people” who come into contact with poultry or dairy cattle.
We will remind
The Public Health Center reports that the situation with metapneumovirus in Ukraine is under control. There were 13 cases of the disease, which is milder than the flu and rarely causes complications.