Information for Healthcare Providers

Current Global Situation (January 2025)

Respiratory illnesses, driven by multiple circulating viruses, continue to pose significant challenges to healthcare systems. The current situation highlights the need for vigilance, preparedness, and coordinated responses:

China’s Respiratory Virus Season:
According to the most recent surveillance data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (collected from December 23 to 29, 2024):

1. • Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV):
     • Among outpatient and emergency department visits, 6.2% of hMPV tests were positive, representing a 0.1% increase from the prior week. This positivity rate is consistent with normal seasonal trends.
     • For hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infection, 5.4% of tests were positive for hMPV, reflecting a 1% increase from the prior week.
     • hMPV was not the most prevalent pathogen causing outpatient or emergency department visits or hospitalizations in any age group.

1. • Multiple Pathogens: Many respiratory viruses are contributing to the overall rates of outpatient and emergency visits, as well as hospitalizations, indicating a diverse etiological landscape.
   • World Health Organization (WHO) Insights: On January 7, 2025, WHO published a Disease Outbreak News on hMPV. It highlighted the absence of unusual outbreak patterns in China, emphasizing that current trends align with expected seasonal patterns. Link: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-china-in-contact-with-who-on-respiratory-diseases-foreign-ministry/#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20Foreign%20Ministry%20said,metapneumovirus%20(HMPV)%20in%20China

Targeted Testing:

• Focus testing efforts on symptomatic patients requiring hospital admission or those at high risk of severe outcomes (e.g., immunocompromised individuals, elderly patients).

Integrated Surveillance Systems:

• Maintain robust surveillance programs that monitor multiple pathogens simultaneously, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and hMPV.

Early Detection:

• Rapid identification of specific pathogens facilitates timely patient placement, infection control measures, and targeted treatment strategies, reducing the risk of hospital acquired outbreaks.

Masking Protocols:

• Implement universal or targeted masking during periods of high transmission
• Use clinical-grade masks for routine care and respirators (e.g., N95/FFP2) for aerosol-generating procedures or high-risk exposures.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

• Ensure appropriate PPE use based on risk assessments.
• Educate healthcare workers on correct donning and doffing techniques to minimize contamination.

Hand Hygiene and Precautions:

• Reinforce hand hygiene compliance as a critical barrier to infection.
• Follow standard precautions for all patients and transmission-based precautions for confirmed cases.

Patient Cohorting:

• Prioritize single-room isolation for confirmed cases.
• Where single rooms are unavailable, cohort patients with the same confirmed infection to limit cross-transmission.

Patient Placement Strategies:

• Strategically place patients based on infection status to reduce the risk of transmission.
• Perform routine cleaning and disinfection of floors and high-touch surfaces using approved disinfectants effective against respiratory viruses.