The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has downplayed a recent outbreak of pneumonia caused by the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) as an annual winter occurrence while health authorities in Vietnam are still monitoring the developments to provide timely updates.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that respiratory infection spreading in this country is a regular disease, not an unusual medical event.

Respiratory infections often peak at this current time of year in China, it said.

Last week, several international media outlets reported on a rapidly spreading outbreak causing alarm due to symptoms similar to flu and COVID-19, raising fears of another health crisis.

Social media posts have also circulated images of overcrowded hospitals and crematoriums in China, allegedly linked to cases of HMPV infection.

HMPV is a respiratory pathogen that can cause lower respiratory tract infections and pneumonia in immunocompetent adults, according to the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Than Manh Hung, from the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the HMPV virus is in the same family as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

HMPV has once been recorded, and is not too dangerous. However, virus mutation occurs frequently, so further monitoring is needed.

In case of a dangerous epidemic, health authorities will issue appropriate warnings and recommendations, he added.

Dr. Tran Dac Phu, former director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, told Tuoi Tre that the World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to issue a warning about this epidemic. 

Explaining the situation in China, Phu said that the sharp decline of HMPV infection cases during the COVID-19 pandemic might result in the number of cases rocketing recently.

In addition, respiratory diseases tend to increase in China in winter, with the main pathogen agents including seasonal influenza virus, RSV, and HMPV.

Dr. Phu advised that preventing diseases caused by HMPV requires the same measures used for other respiratory illnesses.

Individuals experiencing symptoms such as cough, fever, or a runny nose should avoid crowded public places to help limit the spread of the virus.

Moreover, everybody should wash hands with soap frequently and wear medical masks when contacting people with signs of HMPV infection.

Dr. Hung warned that children, the elderly, or people with underlying conditions are among vulnerable groups.

Everyone should go to medical facilities for timely examination and treatment when having symptoms such as cough, fever, difficulty breathing, and chest pain, Dr. Hung advised.

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