HMPV cases detected in Karnataka, Gujarat; states say no need to panic

PTI, BENGALURU, AHMEDABAD, JAN 6 /--/ Amid reports of a new virus outbreak in China surfacing rapidly and the country playing down the crisis, the first cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported in India on Monday. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected two cases of HMPV in Karnataka through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

A three-month-old female infant with a history of bronchopneumonia was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. She has already been discharged, the ministry said. An eight-month-old male infant with a history of bronchopneumonia tested positive for HMPV on January 3 after being admitted to Baptist Hospital. He is now recovering, it said.

It is important to note that neither of the patients have any history of international travel, the ministry underlined.

However, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said there is no need to panic as the infections that have been detected are from old virus strains that are already existing in the country and they are not life-threatening.

Rao, who chaired a meeting of health department officials, said the two infected infants are doing "normal," and advised people to follow general precautionary measures. "Two children who are infected by HMPV are at Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. One is the three-month-old, who has already been discharged in December, and the other is an eight-month-old who is likely to be discharged by tomorrow. They are both normal," Rao said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said: "Fearing about it (cases), having apprehensions that wearing of masks will be enforced and there will be a lockdown—there is nothing of that sort. There is no such thing as of now. The Central government and ICMR are in touch with us. There will be a meeting of microbiologists and other experts about any further precautions that need to be taken."

Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, a two-month-old boy admitted to a private hospital has been detected with HMPV infection. Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel asked people not to panic and said the state government has made preparations to tackle the viral infection.

The infant, who hails from Dungarpur in Rajasthan, was admitted to the hospital, located in the Chandkheda locality here, on December 24 with symptoms of respiratory infection. After tests, he was found positive for HMPV, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's in-charge medical officer of health, Bhavin Solanki, said.

"HMPV (infection) was detected in the patient on December 26, but we learned about it today as the private hospital reported it to us late," Solanki said. The patient was kept in isolation, the official said. Earlier, the child was kept on a ventilator, and his condition is stable now, Solanki added.

Patel said the state Health and Family Welfare Department is on alert and has made preparations and arrangements to tackle this viral infection. "As part of the precautionary measures, the health department held a meeting on January 4 and instructed every chief district health officer, civil surgeon, and superintendents of sub-district hospitals in the state to pay full attention to matters related to the infection of this virus," he said.

Arrangements will be made for the diagnosis of HMPV in various government hospitals, the minister said. He asked people not to panic but to understand the viral infection symptoms and take measures accordingly.

The Union Health Ministry has emphasized that HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with it have been reported in various countries. Furthermore, based on the current data from the ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network, there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in the country, it said.

Amid reports of rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks, a meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) was held under the chairmanship of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Saturday.