HMPV epidemic in China ‘less tense’

Information was released on January 12, officials said there was no new infectious disease epidemic. Current respiratory disease cases are mainly influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and HMPV. The HMPV positivity rate is increasing but fluctuating near a stable level, the number of cases in the North is decreasing. Chinese health authorities also denied that the medical system was overloaded due to a sudden increase in respiratory diseases, affirming that the medicine was adequate.

China is at the peak of its respiratory disease season, with many different pathogens. According to researcher Vuong Le Binh of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the main reason people go to hospitals and medical facilities is influenza.

Seasonal flu is in the outbreak stage, with moderate intensity in most provinces. However, the increase in flu patients has also slowed down recently. When students at all levels across the country take the Lunar New Year break in the second half of January, the flu epidemic is expected to subside.

Mr. Cao Xinqiang, official of China’s National Health Commission (NHC), said the influenza virus positivity rate in outpatient and emergency cases due to influenza increased by 3.8% compared to 2 weeks ago. but still lower than the same period last year.

Theo Global Timesome Western media channels reported on the increase in HMPV infections in China, claiming that hospitals were overloaded, some even compared it to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Ms. Vuong Le Binh said that HMPV is not a new variant and has existed with humans for decades. Recently, this country has detected many cases due to more advanced testing methods.

The HMPV positivity rate increased, but fluctuated around a stable level and is decreasing in the North. The number of infections in patients under 14 years old also began to decrease. Currently, respiratory diseases in China have all been identified, and no new infectious diseases have appeared.

To meet the medical examination and treatment needs of the people, NHC and CDC have proactively planned and implemented measures since October last year, including daily monitoring, continuous coordination, and strengthening initiatives nationwide. country, and at the same time provide specific guidance to key provinces and cities to ensure stable medical services.

Mr. Wang Xiaoyang, an official of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, affirmed that there are currently many types of drugs to treat respiratory diseases, abundant production capacity and output, meeting people’s needs.

For example, the daily production capacity of oseltamivir, a popular influenza antiviral, is 1.56 million doses, with reserves of more than 47 million doses, including more than 16 million doses of oral granules for children. The daily output of Lianhua Qingwen – a traditional Chinese medicine widely used to treat Covid-19 and other respiratory diseases – is 120 million pills, with a reserve of more than 86 million boxes. Daily ibuprofen production capacity reaches 150 million tablets and there are plans to increase production scale if necessary.