Health
HMPV: Not as deadly as rumoured

It’s like 2020 for China as the new Human Metapneumovirus has sparked national and global concern as cases continue to surface.
According to the World Health Organization, WHO, Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is one of the viruses that causes the common cold, an upper respiratory infection. It usually makes people only mildly sick. However, HMPV can cause more serious illness in infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. It belongs to the Pneumoviridae family of viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
HMPV spreads like other common cold viruses do, through infectious respiratory particles that spread through the air from a sick person to others. This means a person can catch the virus when they are close to a sick person or sharing a closed space with them.
Currently, there is no approved antiviral medicine for HMPV, but fortunately, HPMV is not as deadly as rumours suggest and is not likely to become an epidemic like covid-19 as the rates of serious cases and deaths caused by the pathogens of HMPV are very low. Also, patients usually recover after a few days of mild illness. Immune treatment and antivirals are occasionally used, but bed rest and fluids are the primary treatment. According to Cleveland Clinic, an estimated 10% to 12% of respiratory illnesses in children is caused by HMPV. However, 5% to 16% of children will develop a lower respiratory tract infection like pneumonia.
While there is no available information of the virus on the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, the director general of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, stated on the 9th of January, that the country is not under serious threat from the Human Metapneumovirus reason being that this HMPV virus is not new. It’s just that it’s not well-known, but it’s been implicated in many respiratory infections over the years across countries, especially in children and elderly people.
Symptoms vary from respiratory symptoms of any regular cold, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and body aches, Loss of appetite, occasional vomiting, and diarrhea. hMPV is highly contagious especially when in close contact settings, and spreads through respiratory droplets, and contact with contaminated surfaces. HMPV has an incubation period of 3-7 days and a Contagious period of 7-10 days.
According to health Authorities the prevention, management, and treatment of the virus includes good hygiene, avoiding close contact with sick individuals, and staying home when sick while, management of the virus includes Oxygen therapy, IV fluids, and Steroids (Corticosteroids).