Graça Freitas set the tone and DGS confirmed: A case of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) was detected in Portugal. However, the main concern now is bird flu, which claimed one fatality in the USA.
This Monday, a few moments after ZAP published an article about it and what concerns it causes, it became known that a case in Portugal.
The information was transmitted by Graça Freitasin an interview with the channel , this Monday, and later confirmed by the Directorate-General for Health, in .
However, the former director-general of Health assured that there is no cause for alarm and ruled out the hypothesis of a new pandemic.
Graça Freitas also said that the case is under surveillance, but that it is a virus that “does not appear to have a different pattern than usual”. On the contrary, the former leader of the DGS assumes very more worried about bird fluwhich has already arrived in Portugal.
Last Friday, a focus of infection by avian influenza virus from high pathogenicity (GAAP) in a laying hen farmin the municipality of Sintradistrict of Lisbon.
The H5N1 virus was detected in a flock of 55,427 poultry in the village of São João das Lampas, causing death of 279 birds – detailed.
According to the General Directorate of Food and Veterinary (DGAV), control and eradication measures were immediately applied, which include inspection of the place where the disease was detected, the slaughter of infected animals and cleaning the facilities.
Restrictions on movement have also been imposed and farms with birds in the restriction zones (within a radius of 10 kilometers around the outbreak) are being monitored.
This Monday, DGAV asked all operators to report any suspected disease, highlighting that early detection of outbreaks “is essential for the rapid implementation of control measures”.
First human death
Also this Monday, it was first death confirmed from bird flu in a human.
The Louisiana Department of Health, in the USA, confirmed the death of an American, who since December 18th. He was the first person to be hospitalized with the virus in the USA.
As for HMPV, it is a fact that high levels of infections are being recorded in some regions of China – which raises concerns that are reminiscent of other health crises that also began in China. However, for now there are no signs that indicate that a new pandemic is at the door.
