The virus scares Australia and is already present in Europe and the United States of America

Eden recalls that mainly in the state of New South Wales, in the Sydney region, in the south-east of the country, the next pneumonia virus has been spreading rapidly in recent weeks. “There are people with lower respiratory infections who have to be hospitalized and others whose lives are at risk,” he highlights.

Pandemic risk?

The elderly and children under the age of five are considered at risk of contracting the virus. In just one week, 1,168 cases were discovered in New South Wales, but experts believe the true number of infections is much higher. There is also significant concern about the disease spreading to other states.

Australian health workers agree that there is no fear that the next pneumonia virus will turn into a pandemic, like Covid-19. On the other hand, the authorities are asking patients to stay at home and take basic prevention measures to reduce transmission of the disease.

Metapneumovirus in the USA and Portugal

In addition to Australia, the United States and Portugal have recorded cases of the disease in recent months. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 20% of antigen tests tested positive for the coronavirus in March, a 36% higher rate than before the COVID-19 pandemic.