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Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Adekunle Salako, has reassured Nigerians not to panic over the human metapneumovirus (HMPV).
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Salako confirmed that the Federal Government has heightened surveillance efforts to prevent the entry of the virus, particularly from regions where it is spreading rapidly.
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WHO has reiterated that HMPV does not currently pose a public health threat.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Adekunle Salako, has reassured Nigerians not to panic over the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), emphasizing that it is not a novel virus.
Salako urged the public to prioritize hygiene, especially during the current season linked to the virus.
According to Salako, 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.
“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) has also reiterated that HMPV does not currently pose a public health threat.
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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.
Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman for the WHO, noted 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.
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