New Delhi:

A senior official at the National Archives of Technical Knowledge on Medical Issues has urged people not to panic over the spread of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.

Dr. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) official Atul Goel suggested taking universal precautions against all respiratory infections.

“…Otherwise, there is no reason to be alarmed about the current situation,” said Dr. Goel.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for HMPV, so prevention is key to controlling its spread, doctors say.

“There was news of a metapneumovirus outbreak in China. Let me be very clear. Metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus that causes colds, and in the very old and very young it can cause flu.” “Similar symptoms,” said Dr. Goel told reporters today.

“We analyzed data on respiratory outbreaks in the country. There is no significant increase in the December 2024 data and no cases reported in large numbers from any of our institutions,” he said.

Dr. Goel said there is already an increased outbreak of respiratory virus infections in winter, for which hospitals are usually equipped with supplies and beds.

“One thing I would like to convey to the public is to have universal precautions that we take against all respiratory infections. This means that if someone has a cough and cold, one should avoid contact with many people so that the infection will not spread,” he said.

“Use a clear tissue or towel when coughing and sneezing and take the usual medications needed for cold or fever if they occur. Otherwise, there is no reason to be concerned about the current situation,” he added.

The National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), under the Union Health Ministry, is also closely monitoring respiratory and seasonal flu cases and is in touch with international authorities, ANI reported.

The spread of the new respiratory disease in China has sparked global fears of another COVID-like situation.

China insisted on Tuesday that it had shared information about COVID-19 “without restraint” after the World Health Organization (WHO) implored China to provide more data and access to understand the origins of the disease.

COVID-19 first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2020 and subsequently claimed millions of lives, devastated the economy and overwhelmed health systems. The WHO released a statement on Monday saying it was a “moral and scientific obligation” for China to share more information.

In response, China defended its transparency and said it had made the “largest contribution to global research on origin tracing.”