Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni/HANDOUTThe Ministry of Health has dispelled fears of the spread and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) flu that has been reported in China.
Addressing the media at her office, Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni said the country is not at any risk at the moment, insisting that the virus is not new in the country.
HMPV, as it is known, has been spreading in China and parts of India, especially now that there is the winter season.
Muthoni noted the country has been on high alert and is in a better place to tackle any emergency after the COVID-19 pandemic where the government invested heavily in combating viruses.
However, the PS has called on Kenyans to embrace basic health protocols such as washing hands and observing hygiene so as to keep diseases at bay.
“We have a strong rapid response team that is able to respond immediately. The team was intensively trained during COVID-19 pandemic on how to respond to such outbreaks,” she said.
The PS noted that after Mpox cases were confirmed, surveillance across the country has remained heightened.
“We can confidently say we are ready should there be an issue. Every traveler is screened at entry points. We are also able to sensitise members of the public, especially hoteliers, long-distant truck drivers, and people who pass through the border often,” she said.
HMPV is a respiratory virus identified in 2001 that causes upper and lower respiratory infections.
The virus can infect people of all ages, although young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible.
HMPV is not as contagious as COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and belongs to different viral families, but its symptoms often overlap with those of other respiratory infections like the flu.
HMPV is characterised by cold-like symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever, and nasal congestion. In extreme cases, it causes wheezing, breathing difficulties, bronchitis, and pneumonia.