PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry has recorded its second case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) today as a child is tested positive for and is currently being treated at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER). This is recorded as the second case of HMPV in the Union Territory.
According to Health Director V. Ravichandran, the child was admitted last week with symptoms such as fever, cough, and a runny nose, and is responding well to treatment while all necessary precautions are being taken.
The first case of HMPV in Puducherry was reported last week in a three-year-old, who was treated at a private hospital and has since fully recovered and been discharged on January 11.
In response to these cases, health authorities in Puducherry have intensified preventive measures to manage the virus. Since China reported a rise in respiratory illnesses caused by viruses, there has been heightened global concern, mirroring the Covid-19 pandemic.
In light of this, India has increased monitoring and implemented precautions. The total number of reported cases in India has reached 18, with five in Gujarat, three in Maharashtra, two each in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and one in Assam. All affected patients are children, as is typical for HMPV infections. This virus, first identified in the Netherlands in 2001, is not new.