A doctor conducts an examination of a child at a medical facility in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City health authorities are maintaining strict oversight in response to the recent outbreak of virus-induced pneumonia in humans reported in China.

The HCM City Department of Health has directed the HCM City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) and healthcare facilities to implement medical quarantine measures at airports and seaports, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health. 

The measures aim to facilitate early detection and mitigate the risk of disease transmission.

Ongoing domestic epidemiological surveillance will include the monitoring of respiratory infection cases, tracking hospitalisations for severe acute respiratory infections, evaluating respiratory pathogens, and observing clusters of cases in schools, factories, and communities to ensure timely interventions.

Health officials have warned respiratory diseases tend to rise during colder weather; however, there have been no significant fluctuations in the number of cases or severe illnesses reported in hospitals.

Health experts have clarified that Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is not a novel virus. It was first identified in 2001 and has been circulating globally for several years. 

While HMPV is less prevalent than other respiratory viruses affecting children such as rhinovirus (44.6 per cent), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (41.1 per cent), and influenza A (25 per cent), it has previously been detected within the city.

The Ministry of Health earlier announced it was closely monitoring the situation concerning the new outbreak of virus-induced pneumonia in humans in China.

The ministry will continue to monitor the outbreak, collaborate with the WHO and health authorities from China to update information, and proactively provide accurate, comprehensive information. — VNS