The National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NICD) has called for calm as news about human metapneumovirus (HMPV) spreads.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the NICD said there is no need to panic about the reported HMPV cases.
This virus is “commonly occurring”, causes respiratory illness, and belongs to the same family of viruses as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
“HMPV is detected year-round in South Africa as one of the common seasonal respiratory viruses,” the NICD said.
According to the NICD, the virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets, similar to RSV and influenza.
HMPV is primarily associated with mild upper respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, and sometimes fever. In most cases, these symptoms resolve within a few days, according to the NICD.
In some cases, HMPV can also cause lower respiratory tract infections (bronchitis/bronchiolitis or pneumonia).
HMPV is typically detected less frequently among patients being treated for respiratory illnesses compared to influenza or RSV, although this may vary by time of year.
People at higher risk of severe illness from the virus include infants under 6 months of age (particularly premature infants), the elderly, people with co-morbidities such as chronic lung disease or heart disease, and people with conditions that affect immunity. is. systems (e.g., HIV), diabetic patients.
As with most respiratory viral diseases, there is no specific treatment for HMPV.
Treatment for mild illness includes symptom relief (rest, medicine for pain and fever). You should also stay home while sick to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses (the same advice is given for the flu).
If your symptoms do not go away within 3 to 5 days, or if they become severe, you should see your doctor's office or general practitioner.
More severe illness is managed supportively, with hospitalization for monitoring and supplemental oxygen and fluids as needed.
NICD has confirmed that a vaccine for HMPV is in late stages of development. A combination vaccine (for HMPV and RSV) is also under development. These will likely be available within the next few years.
In the event of an outbreak, the NICD said it has a strong surveillance system capable of detecting increased circulation of respiratory pathogens across South Africa and that national laboratories have the capacity to test for HMPV and other respiratory viruses. Ta.
Many private laboratories in South Africa can also test for HMPV and other respiratory viruses.
Additionally, in August 2024, multidisciplinary and multi-level stakeholders convened in Johannesburg to participate in a tabletop simulation exercise to test and refine the draft National Respiratory Pathogen Pandemic Plan.
Simulation exercises are essential for countries to test and validate their preparedness and response mechanisms for public health emergencies, including epidemics and pandemics.
In September 2024, South Africa completed a joint external assessment of the International Health Regulations core competencies. It includes technical areas related to prevention, detection, response, and other related activities and ports of entry.
NICD said health officials will continue to monitor local data for changes in disease patterns, while alerting to unusual developments through event-based monitoring by NICD's Outbreak Response Unit.
This article was first published by The Witness.
