India has identified its first case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in an eight-month-old baby at Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru. The child has no travel history, marking a domestic emergence amid reports of an HMPV outbreak in China.
A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting held on Saturday, chaired by the Directorate General of Health Services, included experts from WHO, NCDC, IDSP, ICMR, and leading hospitals like AIIMS-Delhi. The consensus was that the current respiratory illness surge in China is attributed to the typical flu season, involving influenza viruses, RSV, and HMPV, without any unusual spike in India.
The Union Health Ministry has assured the medical community and the public that there is no cause for alarm. “People should follow respiratory etiquette and take normal medicines for cold and fever that are there,” stated Dr. Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services. The ministry is enhancing surveillance by expanding laboratory testing capacities and delegating the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to monitor HMPV trends year-round.
India’s robust Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) surveillance systems indicate normal seasonal variations, with no unexpected rise in HMPV or other respiratory pathogens.
Hospitals nationwide report no significant increase in respiratory cases and preparedness measures remain in place to address any potential uptick. The hospitals are instructed to report Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases through the IHIP (Integrated Health Information Platform) Portal.
HMPV, first identified in 2001, causes symptoms akin to the common cold and primarily affects children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. It spreads through person-to-person contact and contaminated surfaces. The Health Ministry continues to collaborate with international health bodies to ensure public health safety.
