A regional health organisation is urging the Caribbean Community to beef up its surveillance for respiratory illnesses amid a global rise in this type of illness.
With the region experiencing its peak travel and tourism season, the Caribbean Public Health Agency is calling for strengthened monitoring due to rising reports of respiratory illnesses, including Human metapneumovirus (HMPV).
CARPHA recommends that CARICOM Member States improve surveillance systems for respiratory illnesses and is urging that non-pharmaceutical measures be put in place for visitors arriving by air and sea.
In late 2024, HMPV cases surged in northern Chinese provinces. Reports of infections have also emerged from India, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and the United Kingdom.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have not issued severe warnings regarding a potential global threat.