Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino urged the Department of Health (DOH) to enhance public awareness amid ongoing misinformation and misconceptions on the human metapneumovirus (HMPV).
During a recent radio interview on DZRH, DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo dismissed social media claims of an HMPV outbreak in China as “fake news.”
However, Tolentino stressed the importance of proactive communication from the DOH until the World Health Organization (WHO) provides clarity on the situation.
“It is important that our people get their information from the DOH and medical experts, rather than social media posts based on unreliable sources,” he said.
Tolentino emphasized that accurate information is crucial for public health and urged the DOH to combat misinformation effectively.
“The DOH must always be a step ahead in matters concerning public health in order to prevent the spread of wrong information, which sometimes can be as dangerous as a disease outbreak itself,” the senator said.
HMPV, identified in 2001, is a significant respiratory pathogen that primarily affects young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
It is responsible for five percent to 10 percent of hospitalizations related to acute respiratory infections in children, often causing symptoms similar to those of the common cold.
While most cases are mild, HMPV can lead to severe complications like pneumonia, particularly in vulnerable populations.
Transmission occurs through close contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, with symptoms typically lasting between two to five days.
Photos and videos of people wearing masks in Chinese hospitals recently emerged on various social media platforms, reminiscent of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing, however, downplayed these developments and attributed the rise of respiratory illnesses in the country to the effects of winter.
