With this case, the total number of HMPV infections in India has now exceeded 10. The virus was initially reported in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, followed by Gujarat.
Later, two more cases were reported in Nagpur and another case from Mumbai alongside one more case from Ahmedabad and three from Kolkata.
According to the superintendent of the state-run hospital Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan, the infant was admitted with cold-related symptoms four days ago. “The HMPV infection was confirmed yesterday after we got test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC,” the superintendent added.
Bhuyan said that it was a routine check-up when the virus was detected. “It is a common virus, and there is nothing to worry about,” the senior doctor said.
Since 2014, the ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) reported more than 100 HMPV cases from the city but this is the first of 2015, as per the officials.
Senior scientist Dr Biswajit Borkakoty said, “Every year, it is detected, and nothing is new. We have got the sample from AMCH and this has been found positive for HMPV.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), only 3% of people who are tested for Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) or SARI are HMPV positive.
Earlier, Health Minister JP Nadda said that the virus in India is not a cause of worry as it is not new and there were multiple cases detected in the past as well. Nadda also urged people to take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the infection.
According to WHO, HMPV is one of the viruses that causes the common cold (upper respiratory infection). The virus belongs to the Pneumoviridae family of viruses, along with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The virus was first identified in 2001 and belongs to the Pneumoviridae family of viruses, along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
