*Platinum Member*
Centennial Member
Posts: 106939
Liked By: 62904
Joined: 30 Jun 10
Followers:
3
Tipsters
Championship:
Player
has
not started
|
Why are cases rising?
Infectious disease experts told CNA that China's rise in cases is "consistent with global patterns", where numbers rise typically during late winter months.
The current spike coincides with China’s cold weather and low temperatures are projected to last until March.
Dr Khoo Yoong Khean from the Duke-NUS Centre for Outbreak Preparedness said HMPV infections or outbreaks are not uncommon, especially among children below the age of five.
“Infectious disease surveillance has strengthened quite a bit since COVID-19, so it’s possible we are picking up cases more easily due to better surveillance,” Dr Khoo said, adding that it is “worthwhile” to monitor these outbreaks so that “(we) can act accordingly if we notice any sudden rise in cases, or shift in transmission patterns”.
Professor Paul Tambyah, a Senior Consultant at the National University Hospital's (NUH) Division of Infectious Diseases, noted that Chinese health officials have greatly stepped up surveillance of acute respiratory infections with better diagnostics and deployment of technology.
“It is not surprising that more HMPV infections are being picked up. This does happen in China every winter on a regular basis, especially in northern China,” Prof Tambyah said.
“The bottom line is that we should not be overly concerned as there are no reports of a major public health impact from the increased detection in Northern China (but) of course, all this could change with more data,” he added.
How does it compare to COVID-19?
In contrast to COVID-19, HMPV is widespread in young children, said Prof Tambyah.
But he adds that the danger lies in the virus aggravating pre-existing health conditions like asthma, which can lead to moderate respiratory illness and sometimes require hospitalisation.
“Mortality is rare with HMPV,” said Prof Tambyah, adding that HMPV-related deaths usually occur when the virus is detected with other more virulent viruses such as influenza.
But unlike COVID-19, where vaccines and antiviral treatment such as Paxlovid have been made available, there is no specific antiviral therapy to treat HMPV and currently no vaccine to prevent the disease despite the virus being discovered decades ago.
|
Main Menu >
Gossip Corner >
CNA: How bad is the HMPV situation in China now!
[ 192 Chatters Online
]
1
) 
Find all Topics Started by LONGSTER
Find all Posts by LONGSTER
Follow / Unfollow
PM LONGSTER
Yesterday
9:31 AM (1 day ago)
2 Likes
Like
