Minister of Health Calms Fears Over Human Metapneumovirus
Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, assures the public not to worry about the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), debunking recent misinformation. Speaking from his office in South Jakarta on January 9, 2025, the Minister clarified that HMPV, discovered in 2001, is not fatal.
"HMPV is not dangerous. Just look it up on Google. Its fatality rate is extremely low and hard to find," he stated, emphasizing that the virus is not new and has been circulating worldwide and in Indonesia without causing alarm.
Like the common flu, HMPV has a low risk of complications and can be easily treated. The Minister also addressed the recent surge in HMPV cases in China, stating, "What’s happening in China is not uncommon. December is a peak month for influenza-like illnesses worldwide."
HMPV was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001 and has since spread to many countries, including America, Australia, Canada, Africa, and Europe. Though a recent spike in HMPV cases has been reported in China’s northern region, medical experts worldwide assure that these variations are seasonal and common for respiratory viruses like HMPV.
