SA government monitoring China mystery respiratory virus outbreak resembling Covid-19

Government says it is watching the respiratory virus outbreak which has emerged from China and is causing growing public concern.

Viral videos of patients with surgical masks, some visibly sick, surfaced online with reports that hospitals are overwhelmed with flu and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases. China and World Health Organisation officials are yet to confirm the details.

“ We're closely monitoring the situation in China using our event-based surveillance and continually looking for updates on the situation,” department of health spokesperson Foster Mohale told TimesLIVE.

“It is the normal respiratory season in China but with a later start than expected.”

The outbreak comes five years after the Covid-19 pandemic which originated in Wuhan, China and caused widespread health and economic disruptions globally.

The symptoms of HMPV include cough, shortness of breath, congestion and fever. Though the virus has been around since 2001, it has seen a recent surge in China. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are specially vulnerable to developing complications from the infection.

There is no vaccine for it but it is prevented by washing hands frequently and wearing masks.

Mohale said: “ We will continue our routine surveillance and public health communications, and act on any new information or alerts. There is no need for the public to panic and the department of health working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases will keep the public up to date when there are new developments."

TimesLIVE