India has now confirmed seven cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in children, with new cases identified in Bengaluru, Nagpur, Tamil Nadu, and Ahmedabad, amid reports of respiratory illness surge in China. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda has assured that the situation remains under control, as reported by TOI.
“HMPV is not a new virus. It was first identified in 2001, and it has been circulating around the world for many years,” Nadda stated.
The initial three cases were first reported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), with two in Karnataka and one in Gujarat. The Karnataka cases were detected during routine surveillance at Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru. According to a government statement, a three-month-old female infant diagnosed with bronchopneumonia has been discharged, while an eight-month-old male infant who tested positive for HMPV on January 3, 2025, is recovering.
In Gujarat, PTI reported that a child from Rajasthan’s Dungarpur was admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad’s Chandkheda locality on December 24 with respiratory infection symptoms. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s in-charge medical officer of health, Bhavin Solanki, confirmed the positive HMPV test.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao held an emergency meeting with health department officials to discuss precautionary measures. “I don’t think we should be pressing the panic button, because HMPV is not a new virus, it already exists,” Rao emphasized.
According to Zee Business sources, Karnataka health authorities plan to send samples to Pune to identify the virus variant. A health source noted that while the HMPV virus detected in India is different, the relationship between this strain and the one reported in China remains unclear.
The Union Health Ministry highlighted that none of the affected patients had international travel history. Health experts maintain there’s no cause for panic, noting that regular flu shots or three Covid vaccine doses can provide immunity against this infection.
The ministry added that HMPV is already in global circulation, including in India, with respiratory illness cases reported in various countries. This comes amid reports of an HMPV outbreak in China, which the Chinese government has dismissed as an annual winter occurrence.
Here’s all you need to know about HMPV and how to prevent it.
