HMPV Infections Trending Up in Oregon and Washington, According to CDC
Hospital visits in certain states have significantly increased as a result of the spread of respiratory infections throughout the United States. A virus called human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, is one of these ailments that has noticeably increased in several regions of the nation.
The most recent data indicates that HMPV has been increasing in some areas, drawing the attention of health officials.
In the past, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledged that it is keeping an eye on a rise in HMPV cases in China’s northern provinces.
However, the agency stressed that there is no reason to be concerned about the situation in the United States. Infection rates in the United States are currently comparable to those observed prior to the epidemic.
The majority of people get HMPV before they are five years old, thus it is not a brand-new virus. According to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Eileen Schneider, the virus frequently spreads during flu season.
Its symptoms, which include coughing, wheezing, congestion, and shortness of breath, are comparable to those of the common cold.
HMPV cases are on the rise, according to data from the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS). A little higher than the 1.77% positivity rate recorded the week before, over 2% of laboratory tests submitted for HMPV during the first week of January confirmed positive.
Additionally, this rate is more than twice as high as the 0.87% positive rate that was noted in early December.
Even greater positive rates are being seen in some U.S. regions. More than 5.8% of HMPV tests in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska came back positive in the first week of the year.
The next-highest region, which includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, has a positivity rate of about 2.7%, which is more than twice as high as this percentage.
HMPV positive rates have steadily increased across much of the nation since the fall. But according to current data, one region—which includes West Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Pennsylvania—has seen a minor drop.
HMPV testing positivity was comparatively low in the fall and early winter months, according to historical data from the previous year, which covered the period from early July 2023 to late June 2024.
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After thereafter, positivity rates increased from late March to early June, reaching a high of more than 8% in the spring of 2024. In contrast, HMPV positive rates approached 11% in the spring of 2023.
Even with the latest surge, HMPV testing is still comparatively low when compared to other viruses that the CDC monitors, like COVID-19, RSV, and influenza. Since November, there has been a notable increase in testing for these additional infections.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, unless a person has extremely severe symptoms, HMPV is usually diagnosed purely on symptoms rather than tests. As of right now, there are no vaccinations or targeted therapy options for HMPV. Therefore, stopping the virus’s propagation is essential.
Whenever feasible, health professionals advise avoiding close contact with people who are afflicted with HMPV and washing your hands frequently. In order to reduce the transmission of this prevalent respiratory infection, several preventive actions are crucial.