BENGALURU, Jan 6: The human metapneumovirus (HMPV), similar to the coronavirus, has been detected in India. The latest case involves a two-month-old baby in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Prior to this, two other babies, aged three and eight months, tested positive in Karnataka.
According to the Union Health Ministry, the Karnataka children were checked at a private hospital, not a government lab. In Ahmedabad, Dr Nirav Patel of Orange Hospital confirmed that the two-month-old was admitted with severe cold, fever, and breathing issues, and later tested positive for HMPV after five days on a ventilator.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has discussed the situation with Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who reassured the public that HMPV is not a serious virus and is similar to the flu. He added that the state government is taking necessary precautions.
Symptoms of HMPV include cold, fever, cough, sore throat, and breathing difficulty. It primarily affects young children below two years of age. The central government has stated that while HMPV is a concern in China, it is being treated as a normal flu in India, with measures in place for surveillance and treatment.
HMPV, which spread in China, reaches India
What is HMPV?
HMPV is an RNA virus causing cold, fever, and breathing problems.
How does it spread?
The virus spreads through contact with an infected person or through sneezing and coughing.
Symptoms?
Initial symptoms resemble the common flu, with severe cases leading to pneumonia or bronchitis.
Who is at risk?
Young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
Is there a treatment?
No specific vaccine or medicine is available. Severe cases are treated with oxygen therapy and other supportive care.
