China calls HMPV outbreak a ‘winter event’, India says ‘don’t panic’

Photos and videos of people wearing masks in hospitals in China have appeared on social media platforms, and local reports say the HMPV epidemic, discovered in 2001, later became a global pandemic and caused widespread infection. The situation was similar to the outbreak of the new coronavirus five years ago, which caused the outbreak. Beijing issued a press statement to address these concerns. “Respiratory infections tend to peak in winter,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday, adding, “I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China. ”, he reassured the public and tourists. “Travel to China is safe,” he added. India was one of the countries most affected by the coronavirus infection. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) official Dr. Atul Goel has appealed to people not to panic about the spread of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. “News is all over the place about the metapneumovirus outbreak in China. It is with great sadness that I say this.” In that respect, metapneumovirus, like other respiratory viruses that cause the common cold, can affect the very old and the very young. It can cause flu-like symptoms,” Dr. Goel said. “After analyzing the data on the prevalence of respiratory infections in the country, there is no significant increase in the data for December 2024, and there are no cases reported in large numbers by any of our institutions.” The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet made an announcement. There have been no statements regarding the virus outbreak in China, and no state of emergency has been declared by international health organizations or the Chinese government. China’s neighboring countries are closely monitoring the situation. Several cases of HMPV have been reported in Hong Kong. According to the Centers for Disease Control, HMPV is a respiratory virus that causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections. HMPV affects people of all ages, but young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable. Symptoms of HMPV are similar to those of influenza and other respiratory infections. Common signs include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, the virus can cause complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.