Cases of respiratory virus HMPV remain low in Hong Kong, epidemiologist says, amid mainland China outbreak
A leading epidemiologist has said that levels of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) remained low in Hong Kong amid an outbreak of the respiratory virus in mainland China.
David Hui, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Faculty of Medicine at Chinese University of Hong Kong, told TVB on Sunday that while HMPV infections had risen in mainland China, Hong Kong had not witnessed a similar trend.
As HMPV was not a new virus, having first been reported in 2001, Hui said that enhancing hygiene measures such as wearing face masks and washing hands frequently could help prevent a local outbreak.
According to Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection, HMPV can cause acute respiratory tract infections in all ages, with similar symptoms to flu, including fever, cough, nasal congestion, and difficulty in breathing. The infection can progress to bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said during a press conference last Friday that cases of HMPV infection had risen among those under 14, particularly in the northern provinces.
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