Social media feeds have become awash with ominous footage of patients in China appearing to be suffering from a ‘mystery’ virus sweeping through the region.
The unverified video footage shows emergency departments in the country packed to the brim, as the video claims the healthcare system is struggling with the impacts of the illness.
Unsurprisingly, netizens have reacted with fear and palpable concern that a COVID 2.0 could be on their doorsteps.
But, is this really the case?
On this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Professor Jill Carr from Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute to demystify the ‘mystery’ illness and ask whether it is something Australians should fear.
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Metapneumovirus, or HMPV, is a respiratory tract virus that has experienced recurrent community presentations since around 2001 when it was first identified in the Netherlands.
The virus causes flu or cold-like symptoms, but can lead to more serious complications among children, the elderly and those living with comorbidities.
Carr explains that symptom presentations can differ between people, and so it can be difficult to assess what a community’s reaction to the virus will be.
She asserts though that our hospital systems are ‘far more prepared’ than during the COVID-era, emphasising the likelihood of the same public reaction is low due to immunity levels.
“I really feel in this kind of case, that metapneumovirus is not going to overwhelm those hospital situations to the same level that we saw with COVID.”
“This is because people get exposed to this every year and so the entire population is just not going to have that same vulnerability that we saw with COVID-19,” she says.
Professor Jill Carr says that although there are rapid antigen tests to detect flu A, B, RSV and COVID, metapneumovirus unfortunately does not have one.
She says it is important that people do what they can to minimize the spread of illness, regardless of whether it is metapneumovirus or not. Work from home arrangements, taking sick leave and/or just limiting your movements in public can make a considerable impact in reducing community transmission.
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