Not an unusual medical event
This afternoon (January 8), in Hanoi, the Government Office held a regular Government Press Conference for December 2024.
At the press conference, Lao Dong reporter asked: Information about the human pneumonia virus (HMPV) in China has recently received much attention. Could the Ministry of Health please inform us about the solutions to prevent and contain this virus in Vietnam, to prevent it from breaking out into a dangerous epidemic?
Answering this question, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that recently there has been a lot of information about pneumonia in humans in China.
According to the results of the key surveillance of acute respiratory infectious diseases from December 23 to 29, 2024 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the country has recorded cases of infection mainly caused by influenza virus. This is identified as human pneumonia virus (HMPV).
As of January 4, 2025, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially informed that the respiratory infections spreading in the country are common diseases and the epidemic has peaked at this time of year. At the same time, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that there are no unusual medical events related to these cases.
“The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially informed that this is a common respiratory disease that often appears and develops with a high number of cases in winter. This is not an unusual medical event like the COVID-19 pandemic,” Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen informed.
According to the Deputy Minister of Health, the HMPV virus is transmitted through the respiratory tract, through droplets when sneezing, having a runny nose, close contact, talking... This virus causes illness with symptoms similar to the common cold, such as fever, cough, stuffy nose or can cause complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis.
The disease often spreads strongly in winter, in cold and dry weather conditions. In particular, children under 5 years old, the elderly, and people with underlying medical conditions due to weak immune systems are at high risk of contracting the disease.
“Currently, Chinese health authorities have confirmed that the country’s health system is not overloaded and hospital utilization rates are lower than the same period last year. China has not declared or responded to this virus with urgency,” Mr. Tuyen informed.
Avoid panic and don't be subjective
Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen also cited information from the World Health Organization (WHO) assessing this as a seasonal epidemic and recommended that people take basic preventive measures to prevent the spread of the disease and minimize the risk of respiratory diseases in winter, especially for vulnerable groups.
According to Mr. Tuyen, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends not applying any restrictions on trade or travel related to the human pneumonia virus (HMPV) in China.
In the face of the epidemic situation, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health has also proactively monitored and updated through the daily monitoring and surveillance system, as well as shared information with WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control.
The Deputy Minister of Health also warned that Vietnam is moving into the winter-spring season, with very favorable conditions for viruses to develop, especially viruses that cause upper respiratory diseases.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Health issued a message for people to proactively implement measures to prevent and combat spring epidemics. People should regularly update official information from the Ministry of Health and the Department of Preventive Medicine to avoid panic and not be subjective in disease prevention measures.
“The Ministry of Health recommends that people regularly eat cooked food and drink boiled water, exercise to improve physical fitness, increase resistance, should not be subjective or negligent, and need to follow the Ministry of Health's disease prevention and control guidelines.
“Regularly wash your hands with soap, use masks in public places and crowded areas, keep warm in cold weather, and take your children to get vaccinated on schedule. When showing symptoms of illness, people need to go to medical facilities for examination, detection, and treatment instructions that meet professional requirements, avoiding drug abuse to limit drug resistance and antibiotic resistance that cause difficulties in the treatment process,” Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized.
