hMPV: A known respiratory virus resurfaces in Ho Chi Minh City

hMPV is one of the viruses that cause respiratory diseases in humans and has been present for a long time, as indicated by genetic analysis.

On January 7, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health reported that the city’s infectious disease surveillance system recorded between 16,000 and 18,000 cases of respiratory infections per month during the past eight months of 2024, with numbers increasing in the last three months of the year.

Respiratory illnesses tend to rise with colder weather, but no unusual fluctuations in case numbers or severity have been observed in hospitals.

Reports from the community-acquired pneumonia research program revealed that common viruses and bacteria remain the leading pathogens. Tests on 103 community-acquired pneumonia patients (56 children and 47 adults) hospitalized from July to December 2024 at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases indicated that hMPV accounted for 12.5% of cases in children, a smaller proportion compared to other pathogens.

During the outbreak of respiratory infections in children at the end of 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, the monitoring results also recorded a variety of common viral agents, including HMPV, which was found in 15% of cases.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has urged vigilance, warning against complacency in responding to potential disease developments.

The department has instructed the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) and other health units to closely monitor global disease trends and prepare for medical quarantine measures at airports and seaports under the guidance of the General Department of Preventive Medicine. These efforts aim to promptly detect and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Local epidemiological monitoring activities will also be enhanced.

hMPV, a virus in the Pneumoviridae family, was first identified in 2001. It is related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and is known to cause upper and lower respiratory tract infections in young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. The virus spreads through direct contact or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces, with higher transmission risks during the winter and early spring.

Symptoms of hMPV commonly include coughing, a runny or congested nose, sore throat, and fever. In severe cases, it can lead to serious pneumonia.

Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for hMPV, therefore, adhering to the preventive measures recommended by the health sector is critically important.

Earlier on January 5, Vietnamese health authorities stated that they are closely monitoring the situation regarding the new outbreak of viral pneumonia in humans in China, caused by the human metapneumovirus (hMPV).