India has confirmed three cases of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in the country, with two babies testing positive in Karnataka and one in Gujarat. This follows last week’s reports about China witnessing a surge in respiratory infections said to have been caused by HMPV.
The cases in Karnataka were reported from Bangalore’s Baptist Hospital. A three-month-old-baby girl who had the infection has been discharged. An eight-month-old baby boy who tested positive for HMPV on January 3 is currently recovering at the hospital. Both the babies had the history of the lung condition bronchopneumonia, a lower respiratory tract infection that causes pneumonia.
Later in the day it was confirmed that a two-month-old baby from Ahmedabad’s Chandkheda area also tested positive for HMPV.
HMPV cases in Karnataka
On Monday, the health ministry released a statement confirming that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected two cases of HMPV in Karnataka. “Both cases were identified through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, as part of ICMR’s ongoing efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country,” the release said.
Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao called an emergency meeting with health department officials to ensure preparedness to handle any more cases. “Babies infected with HMPV in Karnataka have no travel history and hence it has got no connection with the HMPV spreading in China,” said Rao. He said that in China it is said to be a new variant of HMPV about which no details were available as yet. “HMPV is a known virus which has been in circulation and hence it is not new,” he added. “It is a self-limiting infection and there is no need to panic.”
Asked if children with respiratory symptoms and those already being treated for pneumonia needed to be tested for HMPV, the minister said there was no such need at present as the required medical tests for pneumonia cases were anyways being done. “We are in touch with the Union health ministry and ICMR,” Rao said. “If there are any protocol to be followed by public, we will further update the same. As of now, there should not be any concerns about the accidental findings of HMPV, which is one among the influenza-like illnesses.”
Symptoms of HMPV
HMPV is a common viral infection seen largely in children below the age of two. It has typical signs of common cold like cough, runny nose, sore throat and fever, and may lead to serious complications among older adults with comorbidities. The warning signs are breathlessness, fast breathing, wheezing, high fever or signs of dehydration.
“It is emphasized that HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries,” added the release. “Furthermore, based on current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network, there has been no unusual surge in influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) cases in the country. It is important to note that neither of the affected patients has any history of international travel.”
The ministry said that it is monitoring the situation through all available surveillance channels. “ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year,” it said. “The World Health Organization is already providing timely updates regarding the situation in China to further inform ongoing measures.”
