Isolation wards have been created in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Rajkot civil hospitals as a precautionary measure after Gujarat registered its first case of HMPV, officials said on Tuesday.

To deal with any health emergency, isolation wards having 15 beds each (total 45) have been created in three major civil hospitals of Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Rajkot, said a statement by the health department. All these wards are currently vacant as no new cases of suspected (HMPV) infection has been detected, said the statement.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that HMPV, of which two cases have been detected in the state, is not dangerous, but it is good to take precautions. He told people there is no need to worry, but appealed to them to be cautious.

"We discussed HMPV (at health department meeting). It is not a very worrying virus. It is not the one that is prevalent in China. The virus that has been detected is an existing one. It infects children, aged people and those with less immunity," Siddaramaiah said.

Former World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said it is "meaningless" to keep a tab on the number of people getting HMPV infections in the country. 

"I think counting these 1, 2, and 3 numbers is actually meaningless because we have this virus circulating in the community like many other viruses," she said. Click here to read more.

Only 3% of the people who are tested for Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) are found infected with HMPV, which has triggered concerns five years after COVID-19 first emerged, World Health Organization (WHO) former chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Ms Swaminathan also said the HMPV infection has been in circulation in India for several years, but has come as a "bit of shock" to the people as it is not frequently talked about. Click here to read more.

The BJP in Karnataka urged the state government not to take HMPV lightly as it has created havoc in China.

In the wake of two children testing positive in Bengaluru for the virus, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka, said the administration should immediately check the status of oxygen availability and ICU beds in government hospitals.

"During Covid-19 pandemic, arrangements for oxygen storage were made but now we need to check whether they are in a working condition. Oxygen beds should be enhanced in all the hospitals," Ashoka noted.

"We should prepare well in advance and not when an epidemic approaches us. Officials have to be informed of how to deal with it and conduct an audit on the health facilities available in the hospitals," he added.

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari has said the state has been unaffected by the HMPV infection, and there is no need to panic over the detection of such cases in other parts of the country.

Ansari said he is closely monitoring the situation. "The infection of HMPV has been reported in parts of the country but there is no impact in Jharkhand. I have been closely monitoring the situation. There is no need to panic as no cases of the HMPV infection have so far been reported in the state," Ansari said.

The Centre has advised states to step up surveillance for respiratory illnesses, including ILI and SARI, and spread awareness about the prevention of transmission of HMPV. 

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Monday chaired a virtual meeting with states and union territories to take stock of respiratory illnesses and HMPV cases in the country and public health measures for their management, a health ministry statement said.

#HealthForAll
Update on HMPV
Union Health Secretary reviews present situation of respiratory illnesses in the country, and status of public health measures for their management
No surge in the country of respiratory illness; sturdy surveillance to detect such cases
States…

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 7, 2025

The Odisha government has asked all medical facilities and laboratories in the state to remain prepared to tackle any exigency.

After holding a high-level meeting in the morning, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said a small number of HMPV cases have been detected in some parts of the country so far. However, no case has been detected in Odisha so far. So, there is no need to panic, he said.

"I held discussions with authorities of major medical colleges and hospitals across the state through video conferencing and directed them to remain on alert. We are prepared and ready to deal with any unforeseen situation, if it arises," he said.

There is no role of antibiotics in treating HMPV, a respiratory illness currently seeing an uptick in the country, said former AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, asking people to maintain proper hydration, and eat nutritious food.

Speaking to IANS, Guleria, Chairman, Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Medanta Gurugram, said the virus is not new and causes only mild infection.

"The virus itself is usually self-limiting, and you just need symptomatic treatment. Take medicine for fever, keep hydration, and have good nutrition," he said, while asking people to avoid going to crowded places to curb the infection from spreading. Click here to read more.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a common respiratory virus that typically causes upper respiratory infections resembling the common cold. Watch as Dr Monica Mahajan, Director, Internal Medicine, Max Healthcare, talks about HMPV and why you need not worry.

Tamil Nadu on Monday reported two cases of HMPV - a 69-year-old man from Salem who suffers from cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes while the other, is aged about 45 years. "Both of them are doing well," assured the Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian during a press conference. "There is no need for panic over HMPV and the Centre has also stressed this," he added.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara addressed concerns over the HMPV virus, stating that health experts have assured that the virus is not dangerous. Speaking to the media, Mr Parameshwara said, "The doctors and the specialists are saying that this is not a dangerous one but precautions have already been instructed by the health department. We all need to take those precautions..."

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak addressed concerns over the HMPV, assuring the public that the state is moving forward with complete alertness. Mr Pathak emphasised that the government is prepared to handle any situation that may arise.

Speaking to ANI, Pathak said, "Concerning the virus, we are moving forward with complete alertness. We also have a high-level meeting today. There is no reason to panic. The government is ready for any kind of a situation."

Two new HMPV cases have been detected in Nagpur, Maharashtra after two girls, aged 13 and 7, had shown the symptoms. The information came from a private lab where the samples were sent for testing. An ICMR-associated lab is yet to confirm the HMPV cases. Samples have been collected and sent to AIIMS virology.

Both the patients have recovered and have been discharged, said Nagpur collector.

India has reported five cases of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory virus that recently gained attention after its outbreak in China. The Centre said the HMPV is already in "circulation" globally and that "there's no need to panic".

Here are the top 10 developments on HMPV

"Don't panic" is the message a teacher of Gurukul School Of Art, Lalbaug has after India records five cases of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV).

The Directorate of Medical Health and Family Welfare issued an advisory on Monday to prevent and control respiratory diseases, including seasonal influenza and human metapneumovirus (HMPV). The advisory emphasised precautionary measures, preparedness in healthcare facilities, and public awareness to address the increased transmission risk during winter months.

Importantly, no case of HMPV has been reported in Uttarakhand so far.

Hospitals are required to ensure the availability of adequate isolation beds or wards, oxygen beds, ICU beds, ventilators, and oxygen cylinders for the treatment of influenza and pneumonia patients.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a virtual meeting to review the present situation of respiratory illnesses in India and HMPV following a surge in cases in China.

Ms Salila emphasised that there is no cause of concern for the public from HMPV which has been present globally since 2001. She advised states to strengthen and review the ILI/SARI surveillance. She reiterated that an increase in respiratory illnesses is usually seen during the winter months. She also stated that the country is well prepared for any potential surge in respiratory illness cases.

The first two cases of HMPV in India were reported from Karnataka’s Bengaluru on Monday. This includes a three-month-old baby, who has been discharged, and an eight-month-old, who is recovering at a hospital.

The third case of HMPV in India was confirmed in a two-month-old infant in Ahmedabad. The infant was admitted to the hospital on December 24 with symptoms of cold, cough and breathing difficulty.

This was followed by two cases from Tamil Nadu - one each in Chennai and Salem.