The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reassured the public that there is no major threat from the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in the country. Despite concerns in other regions, the NCDC emphasized that Nigeria is safe and there is no reason for alarm. Jide Idris, the Director-General of NCDC, made this statement on Thursday during the ‘Sunrise Daily’ program on Channels Television, asserting, “There’s no serious threat for now.” That’s one option. Secondly, this HMPV virus is not a new virus. It’s simply not widely recognized. It has been associated with numerous respiratory infections over the years and across various countries, particularly affecting children and the elderly. “Similar to seasonal flu and other respiratory viruses, it is simply one of the factors contributing to respiratory issues,” he stated. He mentioned that the country is keeping an eye on the situation and remains on high alert, with no cases reported in Nigeria so far. “We are currently in a monitoring and alert phase, which is why we follow guidance from the WHO globally, as every country is required to report such cases or issues to the WHO—those that could potentially lead to global concerns, enabling them to inform other nations to prepare. This is exactly what we are doing in Nigeria.” We’ve faced significant challenges – we dealt with Ebola and then with COVID. With those two, we created certain abilities. We gained insights and established necessary infrastructures.
