EXPLAINER: What is HMPV, are you at risk, and how do you protect yourself from it?
In the previous weeks, there have been growing concerns about rising cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections globally.
The virus, which is reportedly spreading in China and in the US, has also been detected in India. As the new year began, unsubstantiated posts went viral on social media claiming that a new epidemic has overwhelmed hospitals and crematories in China due to influenza A, HMPV, mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19.
The Department of Health (DOH) on Jan. 3 debunked this, saying "there is no confirmation from either the cited country or the World Health Organization (WHO).”
WHO and DOH have assured the public that the virus is not as much of a serious concern as COVID-19. DOH spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said on Jan. 8 that there’s no reason for the Philippines to implement lockdown or close borders, noting that the country detected 284 hMPV cases last year, per ABS-CBN News.
WHO, for their part, said that China’s reported levels of acute respiratory infections, including HMPV, are “within the expected range for the winter season with no unusual outbreak patterns reported.”
Chinese authorities have likewise confirmed that their healthcare system is “not overwhelmed, hospital utilization is currently lower than this time last year, and there have been no emergency declarations or responses triggered.”
To learn more about the disease, read below about how it spreads and how you can protect yourself.
What is HMPV?
on Jan. 7. Niharika KULKARNI / AFP
HMPV can cause upper and lower respiratory diseases like pneumonia or asthma attacks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It was first discovered in the Netherlands in 2001 and has been categorized in the Pneumoviridae family along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
It affects people of all ages, but those most vulnerable to serious illness are young children, older adults, and immunocompromised people.
How does it spread?
According to the CDC, HMPV can be spread through droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. It can also spread by physical contact, such as touching or shaking hands, or touching contaminated objects or surfaces, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
What are its symptoms?
HMPV can cause symptoms similar to a cold, such as cough, fever, nasal congestion, sore throat, and runny nose.
In severe cases, a "small but significant proportion" of infected immunocompromised people may experience wheezing, breathlessness, and symptoms of croup, Singapore-based infectious disease physician Hsu Li Yang said to the BBC.
Experts, including Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, told ABC News that most people can get exposed to the disease by the time they turn five. They can be infected with the virus again but with milder symptoms.
According to the CDC, there is no specific antiviral therapy and no vaccine to treat and prevent HMPV, but it can be managed through supportive medical care to address mild symptoms.
There is also no specific test to detect HMPV, but it can be identified by laboratory testing, like nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).
Preventive care tips
People can protect themselves from HMPV and other respiratory viruses by:
- Washing hands with soap and water
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth
- Avoid close contact with people when you or they are sick
- Wear a proper face mask
Meanwhile, those experiencing cold-like symptoms should cover their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, wear face masks, wash their hands, avoid sharing food or utensils with others, and avoid close physical contact with others like kissing.
