No Reason To Worry As HMPV Not A New Virus, India Prompt To Respond, Says JP Nadda

New Delhi: As India grapples with the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Union Health Minister JP Nadda, assured the citizens to not panic stating the virus was not new.

In a briefing on Monday, Nadda said, "The health experts have clarified that HMPV is not a new virus, it was first identified in 2001 and it has been circulating in the entire world for many years. HMPV spreads through the air, by way of respiration."

Infants tested positive for the virus in Karnataka, Kolkata and Gujarat on Monday, the first reported cases of the virus in India. The Union health ministry sought to assuage fears, asserting that it was well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses.

HMPV is a globally recognised respiratory virus that recently gained attention after its outbreak was reported in China. It is a viral pathogen that causes respiratory infections in people of all age groups.

While the Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra governments assured that there was no cause for alarm, the Delhi government directed all hospitals in the capital to remain fully prepared to manage a potential surge in respiratory illnesses.

Two of the three cases were detected in Karnataka by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens.

A three-month-old female infant with a history of bronchopneumonia was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. She has already been discharged, the health ministry said.

An eight-month-old male infant with a history of bronchopneumonia tested positive for HMPV on January 3 after being admitted to Baptist Hospital. He is now recovering, it said.

It is important to note that neither of the patients have any history of international travel, the ministry underlined.

A two-month-old boy admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad also tested positive for HMPV. The infant, who hails from Dungarpur in Rajasthan, was admitted to the hospital on December 24, 2024, with symptoms of respiratory infection.

Initially, the child needed ventilator support but his condition is stable now, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation medical officer Bhavin Solanki said.

The Union Health Ministry emphasised that HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with it have been reported in various countries.

Furthermore, based on the current data from the ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme network, there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness cases in the country, it added.

The ministry said it is monitoring the situation through all available surveillance channels. The ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year, it said.

The recent preparedness drill conducted across the country has shown that India is well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses and public health interventions can be deployed promptly if needed, the ministry stated.

The Delhi government, meanwhile, directed all the hospitals in the capital to remain fully prepared to manage a potential surge in respiratory illnesses.

In a directive marked "most urgent", Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj instructed the Health and Family Welfare Department to closely monitor the situation, and remain in constant touch with the Union health ministry for timely updates.

AAP supremo and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal raised concern over the detection of HMPV cases and urged the Centre to act swiftly to prevent a potential health crisis.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said there was no need to panic as the infections detected are of old virus strains existing in the country and they are not life-threatening.

The minister who chaired a meeting of health department officials said the two infected infants are doing "normal", and advised people to follow general precautionary measures.

"I don't think we should be pressing the panic button, because HMPV is not a new virus, it already exists… HMPV is an existing virus, and a certain percentage of people do get affected by this virus and it is not something new," Rao said.

The Karnataka government also said the HMPV primarily affects children, causing infections similar to the common cold, and was “not as transmissible as Covid-19”. Rao underlined that there was no need for Covid-like protocols to be followed as of now as there have been no "unnatural developments".

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel assured people that the state government is prepared to tackle the viral infection.

"As part of the precautionary measures, the health department held a meeting on January 4 and instructed every chief district health officer, civil surgeon, and superintendent of sub-district hospitals in the state to pay full attention to matters related to the infection of this virus," he said.

Arrangements will be made for the diagnosis of HMPV in various government hospitals, the minister said, adding that the people should understand the viral infection symptoms and take measures accordingly.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said citizens must not panic amid the detection of HMPV cases in some other states and asserted his government will soon issue a comprehensive advisory on the situation.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, meanwhile, said no HMPV case has been found in the metropolis.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also confirmed on Monday that no HMPV cases have so far been detected in the state.

HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family. It is closely related to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as by touching contaminated surfaces or coming into direct contact with infected individuals. (with PTI inputs)