Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, has reassured Nigerians not to panic over the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) as it is not a novel virus, urging the public to prioritize hygiene, especially during the current season linked to the virus.
Salako emphasized that HMPV has been identified in Nigeria as a cause of lower respiratory tract infections and severe acute respiratory issues, particularly among children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Speaking with The Nation, Salako confirmed that the Federal Government, through agencies such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Port Health Services, has heightened surveillance efforts to prevent the entry of the virus, particularly from regions where it is spreading rapidly.
“This is to ensure that the entry of the respiratory infection suspected to be caused by the HMPV being seen at a higher rate in some parts of China is prevented. Measures, including quarantine and collection of samples from people entering our country from China, have been put in place to detect any carrier of HMPV. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria has significantly ramped up its ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks as validated by the last Joint External Evaluation conducted in 2023,” Salako stated.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in a report quoted by The Washington Post on Tuesday, January 7, reiterated that HMPV does not currently pose a public health threat. The WHO clarified that the increased circulation of respiratory viruses, including HMPV, in China, is consistent with typical winter patterns and has not warranted emergency declarations.
A common respiratory virus, HMPV, has been spreading in parts of Asia, including China, India, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan, according to Scientific American. However, public health experts have emphasized that the reported increase is consistent with normal seasonal patterns and should not cause alarm.
Similarly, The New York Times reported on Monday that the WHO has not expressed any significant concern. Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman for the organization, noted in a statement that Chinese health authorities’ reports showed a predictable seasonal rise in cases.
“As expected for this time of year, the Northern Hemisphere winter, there is a month-over-month increase of acute respiratory infections, including seasonal influenza, R.S.V., and human metapneumovirus,” Dr Harris stated via email.
