Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health has urged the public not to panic over the metapneumovirus situation.

The department reported that metapneumovirus is a well-known infection first identified in 2001.

According to Rustam Ikramov, the head of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Department, the disease is transmitted through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces.

Cases of infection are recorded annually in all regions of the world, particularly during the autumn and winter periods.

The infection typically presents symptoms characteristic of ARVI: runny nose, cough, and fever. In rare instances, bronchiolitis and pneumonia may develop. Treatment is generally symptomatic and is conducted at home. Only in severe cases is hospitalization or oxygen therapy required. Most patients recover without complications.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that Uzbekistan is currently experiencing a seasonal increase in acute respiratory viral infections. According to the department's data, 39.9% of cases are attributed to the influenza virus, 32.2% to rhinovirus, 30.6% to respiratory syncytial virus, and 1.2% to metapneumovirus.

Metapneumovirus is an infection that medical professionals have been aware of for a long time. Therefore, specialists assure that there is no need to overly worry about its dangers.

In Kazakhstan, 30 cases of metapneumovirus have been identified since the beginning of the epidemiological season (https://t.me/DenMinPR/18966). It began spreading earlier in China.