No HMPV Case In Telangana, No Cause For Alarm, Says Revanth Reddy Govt

Hyderabad: There is no cause for any concern as no Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) case has surfaced in Telangana, the state government has informed amid global concern regarding the respiratory infection cases surfaced in China recently. In the past few days, several photos and videos from China have emerged showing hospitals in the country dealing with flood of HMPV cases, drawing world's attention once again towards China, almost 5 years after the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Nothing to be alarmed, says Dr Atul Goel  

Amid concerns over the outbreak of the HMPV in China, Dr Atul Goel, Director-General of Health Services, reassured the public that there is nothing to be alarmed about the present situation, urging people to take general precautions.

Speaking to the media, Dr Goel emphasized that hospitals are well-prepared for the seasonal surge in respiratory infections.

What is HMPV outbreak?

Director-General of Health Services, Dr Atul Goel has said that Metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus that causes common cold, and in very old and very young it could cause flu-like symptoms.

"We have analysed the data of the respiratory outbreaks within the country, there is no such substantial increase in 2024 data. In any case during winter, there is an outbreak of respiratory infections and our hospitals are fully prepared for that with the necessary supplies and beds," he said

Take general precautions, says doctor 

"I want to request the public to take general precautions, which means, those who have cough and cold should prevent coming in contact with other people to prevent the spread and take normal medicines prescribed for cold and fever... Otherwise, nothing to be alarmed about the present situation," Dr Goel added.

Govt closely monitoring HMPV

Meanwhile, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring respiratory and seasonal influenza cases in the country, and is in touch with international agencies, according to Official sources.

"We will continue to monitor the situation closely, validate information and update accordingly," official Sources said. This development follows recent reports of an outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.

"The data from December 16-22, indicates a recent rise in acute respiratory infections, including seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), however, the overall scale and intensity of respiratory infectious diseases in China this year is lower than last year. A seasonal increase in respiratory pathogens is expected in the northern hemisphere, particularly during the winter period," sources said after an update from WPRO.

With inputs from ANI