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Nigeria Begins Screening of Passengers At Airports As China's HMPV Spreads To Several Countries

FILE
January 7, 2025

The virus has spread to countries such as India, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.

Amid the outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) recently discovered in China and now spreading to other countries, the Nigerian government has strengthened surveillance at major international airports. 

The virus has spread to countries such as India, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.

This move is a preventive one against the outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) recently discovered in China.

Over 5000 people were recently reported hospitalised in the United Kingdom as a result of the virus.

Although the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is yet to issue a circular on it especially to airlines on the need to put in place necessary checks on the passengers.

According to Daily Trust, the Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, had directed port health officers to begin to check arriving passengers for any symptom of the virus.

During the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, Nigeria recorded its first confirmed case which was a 44-year-old Italian Citizen who had arrived in MMIA at about 10 pm on February 24, 2020, via a Turkish airline from Milan Italy.

Screenings have commenced at places like the  Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja

Quoting a source  at the MMIA, it was reported that, “There is no cause for alarm as the Port Health Service has been mandated to start screening the passengers and we are not taking anything to chance. The Port Health Officers are conducting the right check on passengers of foreign airlines as they arrive into the country.”

The NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, is also yet to comment on the development as of press time.

There has been a global concern over the spread of the new virus.

The first case of HMPV was reported over the weekend and it is said to be rising.

While commenting on the development, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in its advisory issued yesterday, and signed by its Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said it was closely monitoring global developments  in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

It is said: “We aim to provide timely, accurate information and guidance to keep the Nigerian public informed and prepared.”

The agency said that the rumor circulating about the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring HMPV a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is false and should be disregarded.

Recent reports indicate a significant rise in Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in China, as well as increased respiratory infections linked to HMPV in countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), France, and Germany, particularly during the winter season.

SaharaReporters earlier reported increase in flu cases in the United Kingdom.

It was further noted that there were  4,102 patients in hospital with flu on Christmas Day, rising sharply by almost a quarter to 5,074 by Sunday 29 December. 

Hospitals are still experiencing pressure from a range of viruses, with an average of 723 patients with norovirus in hospital in the week ending 22 Dec, and 528 patients each day last week – although this has come down, it remains 40% higher than 378 the same week last year.

According to amber cold health alerts for England issued by UKHSA temperatures in the coming days are set to drop below freezing.

There was also an average of 74 children with RSV in hospital every day last week, up almost half on 50 for the same period in 2023, as well as an average of 1,184 beds occupied by patients with Covid.

The data published by the National Health Service also shows that to prepare for an expected rise in winter pressure, the NHS had 1,301 more beds open last week than the same period last year (101,309 vs 100,008). 

There was an average of 648 more beds occupied each day compared to last year (90,200 vs 89,552). 

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PUBLIC HEALTH