The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has said that the country’s people have nothing to worry about regarding the risks of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) at the moment.
IEDCR Director Professor Dr Tahmina Shirin told BSS that HMPV was first detected in Bangladesh in 2017. Since then, it is detected more or less every year.
She said that many people have been detected with the virus so far, but there is no history of complications, and therefore, there is nothing to be worried about with the HMPV virus at the moment.
She said the virus is not harmful: “Its symptoms are common, such as pneumonia, fever, cold, cough, and breathing problems. The risk of death is low. The mortality rate is almost non-existent. So, there is nothing to be panicked about it.”
It is mentionable that there has been an outbreak of the HMPV virus in China and Japan recently. The virus has also been detected in the bodies of two children in the neighboring country, India.
Keeping the detection of the virus in a neighboring country in consideration, the health department of Bangladesh has also kept the matter under vigilant surveillance.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk/BSS
