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setcdsPartb dqdHMPV has a cold like syndrome. The WHO further states that HMPV was after all first discovered in 2001 and as such it has been injected into the population many years ago, HMPV is a communicable virus that is common in winter and spring seasons.

Issey et.al in a paper published in Lancet Global Health in 2021 attributed a specific fraction, ie. maan percent of deaths caused by acute lower respiratory infections in children below five years to HMPV. To date there is still no effective treatment or vaccine for HMPV, instead manages the corresponding symptoms.

As per the CDC, “It is more prevalent in children, older adults or the immunocompromised population, with them being highly susceptible to and being co-infected with other respiratory viruses. In most cases, it only produces mild manifestations such as cough, fever, congestion of the
nasal passages and wheezing, but it may in some cases lead to bronchitis and pneumonia.”    

In a social media post on Monday, Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of WHO dismissed such fears saying;  “It is a virus we are all familiar with and which causes respiratory infections that are generally mild. Instead of freaking out about the detection of every microbe, let us continue doing the usual things we do when we have a cold:Put on a mask, wash hands thoroughly, keep away from people, and go to a doctor if the symptoms are serious.”

On the other hand, HMPV was explained by Dr Manish Mittal who works in the Bhailal Amin General Hospital Vadodara, as a virus that affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts and was discovered in the year of 2001. This virus targets people of all ages but mittal points out that young children, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system are more at risk of being infected. The virus in question is part of the Pneumoviridae family and shares a resemblance with the Respiratory Syncytial Virus as it also targets the respiratory system. The most common duration of HMPV infection is within a range of 3-6 days, starting from cold like symptoms and developing into a serious breathing condition.

HMPV does not spread as easily as the COVID-19 virus that is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, however it falls under the same family of viruses, but the manifestation of HMPV does resemble the flu like illness. The most noticeable indicators are cold symptoms, runny nose, cough, congested nose and fever. Nevertheless, in extreme cases the manifestations included wheezing, breathing difficulties, bronchitis and pneumonia.

HMPV can infect anyone, but those more likely to get infected include infants, the elderly and patients who already have a weak immune system

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