The two-month-old infant who tested positive for the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is all right after being provided treatment in a hospital in Ahmedabad, a senior doctor said.
The HMPV was detected in a 2-month-old child who came from Rajasthan's Dungarpur to Sarwar and was later referred to Ahmedabad, state's Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said in a press statement.
This was the third recorded case of the virus in the country after two other infants tested positive for it in Karnataka.

After three cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported in India, Union Health Minister JP Nadda reassured the public on Monday, saying that there is no cause for alarm. He emphasized that the virus, first identified in 2001, poses no new threat.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirmed two cases of HMPV in Karnataka's Bengaluru, and another case was reported in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. These cases were detected as part of ongoing surveillance efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country.
Mr Nadda reassured the public that health systems and surveillance networks are vigilant and ready to respond promptly to any health challenges.

After three cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported in India, Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Monday urged the people of the state to follow the guidelines issued by the Maharashtra Health Department.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said citizens must not panic amid the detection of HMPV cases in some other states and asserted his government will soon issue a comprehensive advisory on the situation.

Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, CM Fadnavis said, "Citizens must not panic. The state health department will soon issue a comprehensive advisory on the situation. It is not a new virus. It is coming again. We will reissue an advisory regarding the virus." The situation is being monitored closely and the Union health ministry and state health officials are in touch to assess it, he added.

Two cases of HMPV virus have been reported in Tamil Nadu. According to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, one case each has been reported in Chennai and Salem. "The government is reassured that HMPV is typically self-limiting and manageable. The Government of Tamil Nadu remains committed and is continuously monitoring the Influenza Like Illnesses and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness closely," the department said in a statement.

HMPV is a globally recognised respiratory virus that recently gained attention after its outbreak was reported in China. It is a viral pathogen that causes respiratory infections in people of all age groups.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that health experts have clarified that HMPV is not a new virus. "It was first identified in 2001 and it has been circulating in the entire world since many years... On recent reports, the cases of HMPV in China, the Health Ministry, the ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control are keeping a close watch on the situation in China as well as in the neighbouring countries. WHO has taken cognisance of the situation and will share its report shortly with us," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said no HMPV cases have so far been detected in the state. 

"In Bangalore, two cases have been reported. Here, we are yet to detect any such case. Our chief secretary has already held a meeting and taken precautionary measures," Banerjee said.

"We do not have any such alerts in this connection (HMPV cases). In case there are any, I will let you know. Our government is always in service of people; you have seen that during the Covid-19 pandemic," he added.

As reports of HMPV outbreak in China emerged, #Lockdown started trending on social media, with people drawing parallels between the HMPV surge and the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019-2020 in China, which later led to a global pandemic. 

"It is emphasized that HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries. Furthermore, based on current data from 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," the ICMR said. Click here to read more.

The Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is not a new virus and most of the Indian population are immune to it, said health experts on Monday, even as the number of reported cases climbed to three in the country. 

"HMPV is not a new virus. It has been part of the circulating flu virus in India for long. Hence, the majority of the Indian population has developed immunity against it," Dr. Harshal R Salve, Additional Professor, Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS.

"HMPV is not a new virus. It commonly causes colds among children and also some adults. For self-limiting colds, we don't do expensive tests to diagnose which specific virus it is due to. Therefore, the finding of this virus upon testing is not anything unusual or worrisome," Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Chairman of the Kerala State IMA Research Cell, told IANS.

There are no reported cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Andhra Pradesh, a health official has said, assuring the public that there is no need to panic about the virus.

Public Health and Family Welfare Director K Padmavathi said the virus spreads from person to person, similar to Covid-19, primarily affecting children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immunity.

"There are no HMPV cases in Andhra Pradesh. The virus, detected in China, does not warrant any panic," Padmavathi said in an official press release.

The equity benchmarks shed over one and a half per cent in the trading session on Monday, impacted measurably by the global cues, weakness in the Indian rupee, and detection of HMPV in India.

The Nifty 50 at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) ended at 23,616.05, down over 388 points, and the BSE Sensex at 77,964.99, declining over 1,258 points.

Experts believe fears and concerns over the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in India, with two reported cases in Karnataka, have led to market jitters.

"Monday blues hit the Indian markets due to some continuing issues and fragile sentiment due to the emergence of HMPV cases in India. The continuing issues are the slowing Indian economy, the muted corporate earnings growth, the FPI selling in the secondary markets, and the global pressure due to the strong US dollar and high US yields," said Ajay Bagga, market and banking expert.

With two cases of HMPV detected in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he has directed the health and medical education departments to take all the precautionary measures.

"There is information on HMPV or China virus infection in Karnataka. I have instructed the health department to take precautionary measures, I have also spoken to Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. We -- Health and Medical Education departments -- will take all the precautionary measures to control it," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru.

"Though it is not a dangerous virus, precautionary measures need to be taken. Whatever measures the health department suggests, the government will support all those measures," he added.

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

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, 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, he added.

The Maharashtra health department said that no case of HMPV has been detected in the state. However, the health department issued an advisory asking the district administration to keep vigil while stepping up surveillance of patients with cold and cough. 

In its advisory, the state health department has released dos and don'ts for the citizens.

The list of dos:

Cover mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue paper when coughing or sneezing

Wash hands frequently with soap, water, or alcohol-based sanitiser

Stay away from public places if anyone has a fever, cough, or sneeze

Drink plenty of water and eat a nutritious diet

Maintain adequate ventilation in all areas to reduce infection.

The list of don't: 

Avoid Handshake, tissue paper and handkerchief recycling, close contact with sick people, frequent touching of eyes, nose and mouth, spitting in public places, and medicines without doctor's advice.

The Delhi government on Monday directed all the hospitals in the Capital to remain fully prepared to manage a potential surge in respiratory illnesses following the detection of three cases of HMPV in the country.

In a directive marked "Most Urgent", Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj instructed the health and family welfare department to closely monitor the situation, and remain in constant touch with the Union health ministry for timely updates.

"Hospitals under the Delhi government must be fully equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses, as advised by the Union health ministry," the directive issued by Bharadwaj said.

The Karnataka government on Monday assured that there was no cause for alarm over the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) as it is already present in the country, after two cases were detected in Bengaluru.

"I don't think we should be pressing the panic button, because HMPV is not a new virus, it already exists. Reports suggest that it is the first case of HMPV in India, it is not true because HMPV is an existing virus, and a certain percentage of people do get affected by this virus and it is not something new," state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said.

India has reported a third case of the HMPV virus in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. A child has been infected with the virus and is currently stable, reported news agency PTI.

However, the Centre is yet to confirm it.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday raised concerns about the outbreak of the HMPV virus, urging the Centre to take immediate action.

Mr Kejriwal emphasised the importance of drawing from past experiences with the Covid-19 pandemic, stressing the need to contain cases early and prepare for what could potentially escalate into another health emergency.

"The outbreak of the HMPV virus calls for immediate attention from the Centre. Drawing from our experience with Covid, it's crucial to contain such cases early and be prepared to tackle what could potentially become another health emergency," he wrote on X.

China is dealing with an outbreak of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), five years after the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports and social media posts suggest that the virus is spreading rapidly, with some claiming that hospitals and crematories are overwhelmed. Videos shared online show crowded hospitals, with some users saying that multiple viruses, including influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Covid-19, are circulating.

There are no specific antiviral therapy or vaccine to prevent HMPV. However, one can take some precautionary measures such as:

Amid the rising Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) scare, the top medical body - the Indian Council of Medical Research or ICMR - on Monday alerted that the virus is already in "circulation" globally, including India. However, it noted that India is well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses.

The ICMR's statement came as Bengaluru reported two cases of HMPV - a 3-month-old baby who has been discharged and an 8-month-old who is recovering. The health department ruled out exposure from other regions or countries, saying that the infected infants and their families have no recent travel history.

HMPV symptoms are similar to those of flu or common cold. It can spread from an infected individual to others through coughing, sneezing or personal contact. Some common symptoms include:

Cough
Fever
Nasal congestion
Sore throat
Shortness of breath

The estimated incubation period is three to six days and the duration depends on the severity of the infection.

Photos and videos of people wearing masks in hospitals in China emerged on social media platforms and local reports said the outbreak of HMPV, which was discovered in 2001, scenes similar to the Covid outbreak five years ago, which later turned into a global pandemic and led to over 7 million deaths globally.

Beijing issued a press statement to address such concerns. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that "Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season".

Two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported in Bengaluru today - a 3-month-old baby who has been discharged and an 8-month-old who is recovering at a hospital. This marks the first reported cases of HMPV in India.