Human Metapneumovirus: Another Pandemic in the Making?

By Sylvester Ojenagbon It’s been weeks since the news of another ‘strange’ virus broke. Equally strange and even frightening is the fact that it’s said to be spreading fast in China. Anyhow one looks at it, there is every cause to worry or panic. This is more so when one remembers the mystery that surrounded […]

By Sylvester Ojenagbon

It’s been weeks since the news of another ‘strange’ virus broke. Equally strange and even frightening is the fact that it’s said to be spreading fast in China. Anyhow one looks at it, there is every cause to worry or panic. This is more so when one remembers the mystery that surrounded COVID-19, which is generally believed to have originated from China. It’s unfathomable that about five years down the line China is again having to explain to the world what is happening in that region.

Known as human metapneumovirus (hMPV), this virus is one of the viruses that cause the common cold (upper respiratory infection). It belongs to the Pneumoviridae family of viruses, along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It spreads just like other common cold.

SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19, the most recent pandemic) and hMPV are both respiratory viruses, but they differ in several regards. COVID-19 is more likely to lead to severe illness, including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multi-organ involvement, especially in older adults and those with underlying conditions. Its symptoms often include fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and difficulty breathing. HMPV, on the other hand, typically causes milder respiratory symptoms like cough, runny nose, and wheezing, though it can also lead to bronchiolitis or pneumonia, particularly in young children, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems.

In severe cases COVID-19 may require hospitalisation, antiviral drugs (e.g., remdesivir), corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone), or monoclonal antibody treatments. COVID-19 vaccines are also now available. The treatment for hMPV however focuses on supportive care, such as oxygen therapy for breathing difficulties, fluids, and fever reducers. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be needed.

Experts agree that although hMPV is an important cause of respiratory illness, it is not likely to cause a global pandemic. That is because the virus tends to cause more localised, seasonal outbreaks, and its lower transmissibility, milder disease, and lower mortality rate mean it lacks the characteristics needed to trigger a global health crisis on the scale of COVID-19.

Equally relevant is the fact that hMPV is not a ‘strange’ or new virus. It was first identified in 2001 and has been spreading among people since or even before then. It’s found practically all over the world, especially in temperate regions—in late winter and spring. For now, the World Health Organization (WHO) is of the view that there is nothing unusual about its spread this season as it continues to do so at lower levels in many of the places where it has been reported.

I believe countries showing serious concerns about hMPV are doing so because their systems and resources were seriously overwhelmed by the impact of COVID-19 in the recent past, and many are yet to fully recover from that impact. They would therefore want to nip in the bud any situation that is likely to put these systems under unnecessary pressure and further deplete lean resources. As the saying goes, ‘Experience teaches caution.’

Thankfully, Nigeria has also reacted swiftly to the heightened concerns about hMPV. The government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has issued a public health advisory to strengthen awareness, preparedness, and preventive measures. Although the country has not recorded any unusual rise in respiratory infections linked to hMPV, the NCDC has emphasised the need for vigilance. The agency’s National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance (NISS) system, which monitors influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) across the six geopolitical zones, is providing real-time data in order to detect any anomalies.

To address the potential risk of hMPV transmission through international travel, the NCDC said it’s implementing stringent protocols at points of entry (PoEs). These include readiness assessments, deployment of infection prevention and control (IPC) materials, and the preparation of quarantine facilities. It said an Entry Implementation Protocol on hMPV has also been developed and would be distributed to all international PoEs.

If there is anything in particular to worry about, it is the fact that China’s Lunar New Year travel rush has started. This rush is said to be the world’s biggest annual migration. Chinese officials expect a record 9 billion domestic trips during this period, up from around 8.4 billion trips logged last year. Some of these people travelling for this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations, also known as the Spring Festival, are from around the world and would sooner than later return to their countries of residence. And it’s common knowledge that diseases spread quickly through travel due to the high mobility of people, which facilitates the movement of infectious agents across regions and continents.

The Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies should therefore, as a matter of urgency, make good on their promise to activate surveillance measures for inbound passengers, especially from China. They need to deploy, and deploy quickly, all the resources needed at our points of entry to save the country and its people from an avoidable health crisis. ‘A stitch in time,’ it is often said, ‘saves nine.’

Ojenagbon, a health communication expert, lives in Lagos.