File photo used for representation only
Greece has confirmed its first case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a 71-year-old man, the national news agency AMNA reported on Wednesday.
The patient, who had pneumonia and underlying health conditions, is in intensive care in Thessaloniki, a northern port city.
The National Public Health Organization has advised medical staff to follow COVID-19 protocols and maintain strict hygiene measures.
Gkikas Magiorkinis, associate professor of epidemiology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, reassured the public, saying there is no need to panic as
HMPV is a known virus that has circulated for decades and is not considered highly dangerous.
