BENGALURU: An eight-month-old infant in Bengaluru has tested positive for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), drawing attention amid reports of an HMPV outbreak in China.
The case was reported by Baptist Hospital, although the Karnataka state health department clarified that the sample was not tested in its facilities, according to a report.
The Union Health Ministry has assured the public that there is no cause for immediate alarm. India is keeping track of the international HMPV situation and has asked the World Health Organization to supply it regularly with information on the same. As a preventive measure, the government has decided to expand laboratory testing for HMPV and has asked the Indian Council of Medical Research to continuously monitor trends of HMPV.
A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting, chaired by the Directorate General of Health Services, was conducted on Saturday. The meeting was attended by experts from WHO, the Disaster Management Cell, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), ICMR, and AIIMS-Delhi. The officials said that the respiratory illness in China was due to seasonal flu activity, which included common viruses such as influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and HMPV.
India’s surveillance networks for Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), managed by ICMR and IDSP, show no abnormal rise in cases. Testing data for Adenovirus, RSV, and HMPV similarly indicates seasonal variations.
Recent preparedness drills affirmed the health system’s readiness to respond to emerging challenges. The ministry stressed its commitment to vigilant monitoring and proactive measures in collaboration with global health agencies to safeguard public health.
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