PB IDI: Symptoms Of HMPV Similar To Ordinary Flu, Public Must Be Alert Without Panic

ILLUSTRATION/A number of sick ship passengers received health services at the Dumai Port arrival Terminal, Riau, Monday (6/1/2025). BETWEEN PHOTOs/Aswaddy Hamid/foc.

JAKARTA - The Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI) said the symptoms of disease due to Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) are similar to ordinary and light flu, so the public does not need to panic, but remains vigilant.

Chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force PB IDI Dr. Erlina Burhan said that HMPV, which has been widely reported lately, is a virus that causes acute respiratory tract diseases, which is a disease that can appear suddenly.

The virus, he said, was nothing new, and was first reported in the Netherlands in 2001.

"The problem is why there has never been a report? Yes, it's simple, it's not checked. Why not be examined? Because it is an acute respiratory disease caused by the Human Metapneumovirus virus, the symptoms are similar to the flu and it's mild. So, it's not something different and typical, in the end there are no surveillance and to check this type of virus," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 8.

He explained that the incubation period for this virus was an average of 3-6 days, before it finally caused symptoms.

Usually, said Erlina, symptoms appear for about five days. If longer, it depends on each individual because not everyone's illness becomes severe.

Erlina explained that the virus is contagious through the droplet of infected people. If the person who breathes the droplet has a good immune system, the virus can be destroyed.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, in Indonesia HMPV attacks many children, but this is not something that is exaggerated, because the symptoms are mild, such as coughing a cold.

Like the Ministry of Health, his party also reminded the public not to panic, but to remain vigilant regarding the transmission of HMPV.

Erlina advised residents to adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle, avoid contact with patients or people with flu symptoms, clean contaminated objects.

For those with symptoms and high risk, such as children, the elderly, people with HIV/AIDS, or people with chronic diseases, he suggests wearing masks when traveling, especially if in crowded places.

"If you have been diagnosed, or it is estimated that this is a human metapneumovirus, what should you do? The first is rest," he said.

He said, such as flu, diseases caused by HMPV can also heal by itself. What is needed is a supportive treatment, for example by being given a fever, paracetamol, or a cold drug.

Erlina said there was no special drug for HMPV, because it was not a serious disease that then caused an extraordinary incident, so no researcher or pharmaceutical company made the antiviral or vaccine.