If you notice an empty office, it’s likely because a respiratory virus that few people have actually heard of is spreading throughout Northern California.
According to recent WastewaterSCAN data, human metapneumovirus (HMPV) concentrations are high in San Francisco, Marin, Vallejo, Napa, Novato, Santa Rosa, Sacramento and Davis. This respiratory illness, which typically lasts from winter into spring, causes common symptoms such as cough, fever and nasal congestion and is spread through contaminated surfaces, air and person-to-person contact. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus can cause mild illness in healthy children but can also cause less common symptoms such as bronchiolitis (an infection of the airways) and croup (described as a “barking” cough). The Mayo Clinic describes this distinct cough, which is most common in young children, as similar to the barking of a seal.
Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, said that because COVID-19 has been “quieter” this quarter, “other viruses like influenza and HMPV are taking advantage.”
The diseases “compete with each other,” she explained to SFGATE on Monday. “When COVID-19 surged, we saw very low rates of other common cold viruses.”
Data shows HMPV is on the rise across the United States, with WastewaterSCAN data showing the highest rates of the virus in the Midwest and Northeast, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This is because HMPV is an RNA virus, which also includes COVID-19, and typically thrives in cold environments. Gandhi explained that the virus spreads faster when people gather indoors. In California, however, mild weather and constant ventilation can help keep them at bay.
To prevent spreading HMPV to others, the CDC recommends staying home when sick, washing hands, and cleaning surfaces regularly. There are no specific treatments or vaccines that can cure or prevent HMPV. The CDC says most people will recover if they stay home, rest, recover and drink plenty of fluids.
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This article was originally published on A virus that’s neither coronavirus nor the flu is hitting Northern California.
