Experts have advised Ugandans traveling to China to exercise caution and adhere to Standard Operating Procedures, as increasing cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) – an acute respiratory infection – have raised global concern.

In a recent report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, it was revealed that hospitals in China are being overwhelmed with cases of HMPV. “Based on data published by China, covering the period up to 29 December 2024, acute respiratory infections have increased during recent weeks and detections of seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, RSV, and HMPV, particularly in northern provinces of China have also increased”, the report reads in part.

Owing to this, Prof. Wilber Sabiti, a Senior Research Scientist on Respiratory disease at Makerere University Lung Institute says while the current trend does not present an emergency, Ugandans traveling to China should  seek as much information as possible on provinces that are most affected.

He advises that travelers need to practice proper hand hygiene and use face masks as a precautionary measure. According to media reports, the Northern provinces of China have experienced the biggest surge in HMPV infection where children are the most affected.

This outbreak comes five years after the world was notified about an emergence of a new virus in Wuhan China which later came to be known as the Corona Virus.COVID-19 later on spread to the entire world becoming a global pandemic and killing millions of people across the world.

Now, while Sabiti who is also a member of the Interdisciplinary Consortium for Epidemic Research (ICER) warns that the current pneumonia in China shouldn’t be taken lightly, he says HMPV is not new having initially been discovered in the Netherlands in 2001.

However, no travel restrictions or advisories have been issued by any country as far as the outbreak is concerned.

By Our Reporter

8 Jan 2025

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