8-month-old baby tests positive for HMPV in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), which has been making headlines in China, has been detected in an eight-month-old infant in Bengaluru. The baby was undergoing treatment at a private hospital and has no travel history.

The baby was admitted to a private hospital with fever. A blood test revealed the presence of HMPV. Currently, only one case has been reported and the Health Department is investigating to check if similar cases have been reported in other parts of the state, including Bengaluru.

According to Professor Dr Atul Goyal, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), there’s no need to panic about the spread of HMPV in India. He stated that the virus causes common cold-like symptoms and can cause fever in the elderly and young children. “It’s common for respiratory virus infections to surge during winter. People with cough and cold should avoid contact with others”, he said.

“General precautions against all respiratory infections are sufficient. Using a separate handkerchief or towel when coughing or sneezing is recommended. We’ve analyzed the data of patients with respiratory issues in the country. No significant increase was found in the December 2024 data. There have been no reports of a large number of cases from any of our institutions”, the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services said.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for HMPV, so prevention is key to controlling it. There have been reports of HMPV spreading in China. It causes common cold-like symptoms, similar to other respiratory viruses.

The State Health and Family Welfare Services department has urged citizens to follow certain Do’s and Don’ts to protect and prevent the spread of infections. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is also monitoring respiratory cases and is in touch with international agencies.

Recently, the Union Health Ministry convened a Joint Monitoring Group meeting in view of the rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks. It said that the Health ministry is closely monitoring the situation in China through all available channels, and the WHO has been requested to share timely updates regarding the situation. India is well-prepared to handle respiratory illnesses; surveillance shows there is no unusual surge, the ministry said.