The human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which has been spreading in China and Malaysia recently, does not pose a significant threat to humans, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of South Africa, Report informs via TASS.
"There is no reason to be alarmed about the spread of HMPV," South African scientists told the local EWN radio. "However, medical institutions in South Africa are closely monitoring the situation in China and Malaysia, where the highest number of HMPV cases are currently reported."
Cheryl Cohen, a professor of epidemiology at the University of the Witwatersrand and head of the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis, mentioned that while the number of people infected with HMPV may increase globally, there is no reason to fear a pandemic or mutation into a more aggressive form. "HMPV is a typical seasonal virus, active in the winter season of the Northern Hemisphere," she explained.
Tulio de Oliveira, a leading expert on respiratory diseases in South Africa, added, "The current outbreak of HMPV in China should not be cause for alarm. Metapneumovirus, although similar to COVID-19, is less dangerous than the common flu and does not pose a serious global threat."
"HMPV is known worldwide and causes respiratory tract inflammation, coughs, and colds. In some cases, it can lead to bronchitis and pneumonia, particularly in children and the elderly," de Oliveira noted.