After the Covid-19 pandemic which spread panic all over the world, a virus named HMPV has spread in China. Now its first case has been reported in India.
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) virus has been detected in an eight-month-old girl in a hospital in Bengaluru. The state health department said that we have not tested it in our lab. A case has been reported in a private hospital. However, there is no reason to doubt this report of the private hospital.
After Covid, the emergence of another virus in China has caused alarm among people. China is flooded with cases of the HMPV – a respiratory illness with flu-like symptoms, similar to Covid. However, Indian health experts have assured there is no reason to panic as the virus is well-known and typically mild.
Delhi health officials on Sunday issued an advisory to ensure preparedness for health challenges related to human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and other respiratory viruses. So that the virus can be prevented.
According to a statement, Director General of Health Services Dr. Vandana Bagga held a meeting with Chief District Medical Officers and State Program Officer of IDSP on Sunday to discuss preparations to deal with respiratory diseases in Delhi.
In this meeting, hospitals have been instructed to immediately report cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) through the IHIP portal. So that if the virus enters, it can be dealt with and eliminated beforehand.
Dr. Suresh Gupta, a pediatrician at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, explained, “This is not a new virus; it has been known for over 20 years. It is more prevalent during the winter season and behaves like the influenza virus or a common viral fever. Most cases present with symptoms such as cold, cough, and fever, which are self-limiting and manageable with general medicine at home. Children rarely require hospitalization, as the infection is generally mild.”
Following the outbreak of cases of HMPV in China, Dr Nitin Ambadekar, director of health services, in Maharshtra issued an order on Sunday to deputy directors, civil surgeons, and district health officers across the state to intensify surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) cases.
‘Reports have emerged of an outbreak of HMPV in China. This virus is a significant cause of acute respiratory infections and was first reported and identified in the Netherlands in 2001. It is a common respiratory virus that primarily causes infections in the upper respiratory tract,’ read the advisory.
