Bengaluru Reports 2 Cases Of HMPV: Latest You Should Know

New Delhi: The Human Metapneumovirus ( HMPV ) cases that began in China have reached India and the count as of now stands at three; out of the three cases reported in infants in India, two are in Karnataka's Bengaluru. Latest you should know…

2 HMPV Cases Reported in Bengaluru

The Indian Council of Medical Research has detected two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Karnataka through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, the Union health ministry said on Monday.

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 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.

‘No History of International Travel’: Health Ministry Issues Statement

It is important to note that neither of the patients have any history of international travel, the ministry underlined. It 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 Indian Council of Medical Research (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 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.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is already providing timely updates regarding the situation in China to further inform the ongoing measures. 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.

Amid reports of rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks, a meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) was held under the chairmanship of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Saturday. 

A third case of the HMPV has been reported in Gujarat 's Ahmedabad in a two-month-old infant.

What is HMPV Virus and Its Symptoms

HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and is known to primarily affect the upper and lower respiratory tracts. While the virus can infect people of all ages, young children and senior citizens are at higher risk. Symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath, with severe cases potentially leading to complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Symptoms typically appear within three to six days after exposure.

The symptoms include:

• Cough
• Fever
• Nasal congestion
• Shortness of breath
• In severe cases, the virus can lead to complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Symptoms typically appear within three to six days after exposure.

(Inputs from PTI)