RAHIM YAR KHAN: Following a surge in patients affected with influenza, shivering fever and cough during the last three weeks, the District Health Authority(DHA)hasissued an advisory regarding Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).

As per hospitals sources, a significant number of patients have been visiting the public and private health facilities withinfluenza, shivering fever and cough, but none of them was tested for HMPV.

The DHA advisory issued to all health facilities in the district contains information about the virus` etiology, transmission, incubation period, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures.

DHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Ghazanfar Shafiq told Dawn on Friday that a district surveillance team has been taken on board with regard to HMPV and awareness sessions and training of health staff was conducted for surveil-lance andresponse.

He said HMPV is a globally distributed respiratory virus that affects people of all ages, with young children, elderly people and individuals with compromised immune systems being particularly vulnerable. It generally causes mild, self-limiting upper respiratory infections with symptoms such as cough, fever, runny nose, and nasal congestion.

In vulnerable individuals, particularly those coinfected with Respiratory Syncytial Virus, symptoms may be more severe, leading to wheezing, shortness of breath, bronchiolitis, asthma exacerbation, pneumonia or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, he said.

He said there is currently no specific antiviral therapy for HMPV, and its patients should be isolated in a single room or kept with other infected persons.

He said the patients should cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and avoid contact with others.-1RFANUL HAQ