HMPV detected in Bangladesh
Health officials confirmed detection of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a 30-year-old woman in Bangladesh today.
Dr Halimur Rashid, line director of Communicable Disease Control Programme of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said that the woman from Kishoreganj, also tested positive for Klebsiella Pneumoniae, a variant of pneumonia.
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"The physical condition of the woman deteriorated due to pneumonia, not HMPV," said Halimur adding that the patient is currently under treatment at a hospital in Dhaka.
Halimur said that the infected woman is a homemaker. She has no history of travelling abroad. Her husband lives abroad, but he has not returned to the country recently either.
Addressing concerns about the HMPV, Halimur told The Daily Star that there is no need to panic about this virus. It has been detected in the country before, and the mortality rate from this virus is very low.
He emphasised that we need to be more cautious by wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining hygiene, and staying hydrated.
Halimur also mentioned that individuals with two or three underlying health conditions, as well as those under the age of five and above 65, are at greater risk of being infected by this virus.
HMPV is known to cause respiratory tract infections that may range from mild cold-like symptoms to severe illnesses, including pneumonia and bronchitis, just like another Covid, according to IEDCR.
There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for HMPV. Management focuses on supportive care, including hydration, fever reduction, and, in severe cases, oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation, according to IEDCR.
Meanwhile, on January 8, Professor Tahmina Shirin, director of IEDCR, said that HMPV was first detected in Bangladesh in 2017. Since then, it has been identified almost every year to some extent.
Although the virus has been detected in many individuals so far, there is no record of significant complications, she said, adding that there is currently no reason to panic about the HMPV.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined the symptoms and at-risk groups for HMPV.
According to the WHO, common symptoms of HMPV include a persistent cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, wheezing, shortness of breath (dyspnea), and in some cases, a rash. Health authorities are particularly concerned about certain vulnerable groups who are at higher risk of severe illness. These include infants and young children, the elderly, individuals with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), immunocompromised patients, and those with co-morbid conditions.
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