- Doctors are warning about Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a seasonal flu-like virus, as high levels have been detected in California wastewater and cases are trending up nationally.
- HMPV, which typically circulates in winter and spring, has shown particularly high concentrations in Northern California cities, including Redwood City and the San Francisco Bay Area.
- While often causing mild cold-like symptoms, HMPV can lead to more severe conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and life-threatening asthma attacks, especially in vulnerable individuals like infants, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.
- Unlike flu and RSV, there is currently no vaccine available for HMPV, which was discovered in 2001, but studies indicate it has been circulating since the 1970s.
- To prevent infection, health officials recommend regular handwashing, cleaning surfaces, and staying home when unwell, as the virus spreads through direct contact, sneezing, coughing, or touching infected surfaces.
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