BENGALURU: The Indian Ministry of Health has reported two cases of Human Metapneumovirus, discovered through routine surveillance designed to track respiratory diseases throughout the country. Both of these cases have resulted from the routine surveillance efforts of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to track respiratory pathogens.
HMPV, which is known to be circulating worldwide, including in India, has been linked to respiratory diseases in various countries. However, the ministry clarified that, as per the data of ICMR and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), there was no increase in the cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in the country.
The two infants affected by HMPV belong to Bengaluru. A 3-month-old female infant was admitted to Baptist Hospital for bronchopneumonia and has since been discharged. An 8-month-old male infant, who had tested positive for HMPV on January 3, 2025, is recuperating after having been admitted with the same condition. Neither patient had ever traveled overseas.
The Ministry of Health has reassured the public that there is no urgent cause for alarm about an outbreak and that HMPV is under close observation. While incorporating WHO guidelines into preventive measures, the ICMR is still monitoring the virus's progress. “ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year. The World Health Organization (WHO) is already providing timely updates regarding the situation in China to further inform ongoing measures”, the ministry added.
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