An eight-month-old boy and a three-month-old girl in Bengaluru have been confirmed to have contracted the respiratory distress-causing virus, Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), which manifests as bronchopneumonia. The two affected children had not traveled outside of India and have been taken to Baptist Hospital for treatment. Both the children had bronchopneumonia- a type of pneumonia which includes the infection in the bronchi and alveoli leading to symptoms such as fever, cough, breathlessness, and extreme fatigue. While one child has been discharged, the other is recovering.
HMPV was first identified in 2001 and is a respiratory pathogen that mainly infects children below 11 years of age. Even though a spurt in viral infections has been reported in China, authorities here have asked people not to panic. The virus is not new and has been circulating worldwide, including in India. It said the two cases were detected during routine surveillance conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and there was no increase in the sudden spurt in Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) reported in the country.
Karnataka Health Commissioner, Harsha Gupta, emphasized it is not common to find out HMPV in children. He has added that ICMR would improve guidelines if the news of a newly emerging strain gets reported. Then, for that time being, there is nothing to be worried about.
The Union Health Ministry continues to observe the situation in China, which has witnessed a spurt in respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV. The ministry said that India was ready to meet any eventuality and that, if needed, public health interventions could be promptly undertaken.
Surveillance data from local levels in the state of Karnataka have also indicated no significant rise in respiratory infections during December 2024.
