Centre sees no surge in HMPV cases, ratchets up surveillance

Hyderabad: After the reports of cases of HMPV being detected in Bengaluru, the Health Ministry on Monday clarified that as per the current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network, there was no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in the country.

The Health Ministry said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Karnataka. Both cases were identified through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens as part of ICMR's ongoing efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country. It said that HMPV was already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV were reported in various countries. Based on current data from ICMR and the IDSP network, there was no unusual surge in ILI or SARI cases in the country.

Giving the details of the cases, the Health Ministry said that a three-month-old female infant, who was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru, with a history of bronchopneumonia, was discharged. An eight-month-old male infant, who tested positive for HMPV on January 3 this year after being admitted to Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru, with a history of bronchopneumonia, was now recovering. It is important to note that neither of the affected patients has any history of international travel.