Health officials in Karnataka are closely monitoring two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) detected in infants in Banaglore, India. An eight-month-old baby boy is recovering at a hospital after testing positive for HMPV, marking the first case of this kind in the city. The child was admitted to Baptist Hospital with a history of bronchopneumonia, fever, and breathlessness since January 2, according to The Hindu.
A three-month-old girl was also admitted to the hospital with bronchopneumonia and was diagnosed with HMPV after admission. She has since been discharged from Baptist Hospital, as reported by The Logical Indian. Both infants involved in the HMPV cases have no history of international travel, indicating local transmission of the virus, reported ETV Bharat.
The Karnataka Health Department confirmed that the two infants were diagnosed with HMPV at Bengaluru Baptist Hospital but stated, "We have not tested for it in our lab," and confirmation regarding the suspected HMPV cases is still awaited, according to Organiser.org. Health officials reassured the public that there was currently no need for alarm regarding HMPV, as most cases were mild and manageable, and the Health Department was monitoring the situation closely, as stated in Kannada Prabha.
Harsh Gupta, Karnataka's Principal Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Department, said HMPV is usually detected in children under the age of 11, according to The Hindu. He stated that about 1% of all samples tested for respiratory illnesses are HMPV positive. Gupta mentioned that the strain of virus detected in the baby is not yet known, as there is no data available on the strain detected in China.
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an airborne respiratory virus that can cause mild cold-like symptoms but may lead to severe complications, particularly in infants and those with weakened immune systems, according to The Logical Indian. HMPV primarily spreads through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes, making it highly transmissible, especially during winter months, as reported by India Today.
The Karnataka Health Department advises people to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer and to avoid crowded places if unwell, as reported by Kannada Prabha. Citizens are also advised not to self-medicate without consulting a physician and to avoid frequent touching of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
While most cases of HMPV are mild and can be managed at home with rest and hydration, vulnerable groups such as young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals may experience severe symptoms, including pneumonia and respiratory complications. Severe cases may require hospitalization and oxygen therapy, according to India Today. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for HMPV, and treatment mainly focuses on alleviating symptoms, as stated by The Economic Times.
The Indian Union Health Ministry emphasized that HMPV was already present worldwide, including in India, and cases of respiratory diseases associated with the virus were reported in several countries. Health officials stated that there was no unusual surge in respiratory illness cases in India, including Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), reported by The Sentinel.
Globally, the HMPV virus is currently causing an outbreak in China, leading to hospital overcrowding and confirmed cases in other countries, including Malaysia, according to Aaj Tak. China's foreign ministry assured tourists and citizens that it remains safe to travel in China, as per ETV Bharat.
Karnataka health officials stated that they lacked detailed information on the specific strain of HMPV detected in Bengaluru and whether it was the same as the one spiking in China, reported by ETV Bharat. The Karnataka Health Department was in regular contact with central officials regarding the HMPV cases and was awaiting further guidance from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Union Health Ministry, according to Surya.
The Union Health Ministry stated that the situation regarding respiratory illnesses was being closely monitored through all available surveillance channels and requested timely updates from the World Health Organization (WHO), according to ETV Bharat. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) would monitor HMPV trends throughout the year and would also monitor other respiratory illnesses such as influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), as reported by The Sentinel.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq