Bangladesh Reports First Death From Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)

Bangladesh has confirmed its first death due to the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) following the passing of a woman with multiple underlying health issues. The deceased, Sanjida Akhter, died on Wednesday evening at Dhaka’s Infectious Diseases Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment since Sunday. According to Ariful Bashar, a senior consultant at the hospital, Sanjida had struggled with obesity, kidney problems, and lung complications.

Her death occurred shortly after Bangladesh reported its first HMPV case of the season. Ahmed Nowsher Alam, head of virology at the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), confirmed that the woman also tested positive for Klebsiella Pneumoniae, a bacterial variant of pneumonia. Notably, she had no history of travel abroad.

HMPV, first detected in Bangladesh in 2017, is commonly found during the winter months. The virus, a member of the Pneumoviridae family alongside Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), has gained attention due to its role in causing respiratory infections. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that HMPV is most active in late winter and spring in temperate regions.

Symptoms of HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. Unlike other respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu, HMPV currently lacks a vaccine or antiviral treatment, and doctors focus on managing symptoms for severe cases.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”