The recent outbreak of the HMPV virus in China has triggered a lot of attention in the international media. Not at least because Human Meta Pneumo Virus is quite an unknown name amongst the general public. Photos appeared in the media with overloaded hospital emergency departments. The words virus outbreak in combination with China resulted in increased media attention. Especially with COVID19 in mind. And so the question comes up: is there really a reason for concern ?
The quick answer is that epidemiologists have tempered any suggestions of a major health emergency.
HMPV comes from the same family as the common virus RSV [ Respiratory Syncytial Virus ], which also causes short term infections. Like other respiratory illnesses , HMPV is contagious . Transmission occurs through exposure to airborne droplets expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes, as well as contact with contaminated surfaces – including hands and skin. Very young children [ 0à2 years old ] and the elderly are most at risk for serious illness.
It has to be realized that winter in the Northern Hemisphere always comes with various seasonal outbreaks of respiratory diseases. Such as pneumonia, flue, RSV, the more recent Corona virus, but also the less known HMPV. The current HMPV outbreak in China comes at a time that other respiratory outbreaks are in the news. Belgium experiences a serious wave of flue cases – to an extend that the authorities have announced a code orange alert. This implies that the government announced a recommendation that face masks should be used when ill.
This face mask recommendation coincides with a similar recommendation by the authorities in the Indian State of Karnataka, where the first cases of HMPV have now been recorded.
The experts of EMA approved a RSV vaccine in 2022 and will be administered before the new winter season of 2025. A HMPV vaccine is under development.
Implications for the laundry industry ?
All of the above should make the laundry industry aware of their responsibility to maintain the highest possible level of hygiene. Not only in the wash process itself , but also in the complete supply chain to the end users. Most viruses are de-activated in wash processes that are in line with the prevailing hygiene standards. Or with other words: the laundry management has to make sure that the wash processes are strictly monitored and that re-infection of the washed linen is avoided.
For the laundry : staff members that have signs of respiratory infection should be recommended to use face masks. Especially when there are colleagues with a known lower level of immune defence.
