Union health ministry on Monday said that two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were detected in Karnataka following routine surveillance and added that the virus was already in circulation in India.
Assuaging concerns over the spread of virus in India, the ministry said that HMPV is not a new virus and was already in circulation around the world, including India. It added that there has been no unusual surge in inluenza-like illnesses in the country.
" ... cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries. Furthermore, based on current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network, there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in the country," it said.
The ministry gave details of the cases detected in Karnataka, saying that a 3-month-old female infant was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru.
It added that she had a history of bronchopneumonia and has been discharged after treatment.
The ministry said that another case was detected on January 3 when an 8-month-old male infant tested positive for HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru.
It added that the baby also had a history of bronchopneumonia and is now recovering.
"It is important to note that neither of the affected patients have any history of international travel," it added.
The ministry said it is monitoring the situation through all available surveillance channels.
"ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year. The World Health Organization (WHO) is already providing timely updates regarding the situation in China to further inform ongoing measures," it said in a statement.
The ministry said that India is well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses and public health interventions can be deployed promptly if needed.
The statement comes amid growing concerns about the virus following reports of a surge in similar cases in China. However, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that "respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season" and dismissed concerns over the outbreak.
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