Gujarat Reports First HMPV Case as India’s Tally Reaches Three
A child in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has been diagnosed with Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), marking the third confirmed case in India, with two others reported in Karnataka earlier today. The infected infant, from Dungarpur, Rajasthan, was admitted to a private hospital in Chandkheda on December 24 with respiratory infection symptoms. Civic officials confirmed the child is now stable after initially being on a ventilator.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s in-charge medical officer, Bhavin Solanki, noted that the HMPV infection was detected on December 26 but reported late by the hospital. The child has since been isolated and is receiving treatment.
In Karnataka, two infants were also diagnosed with HMPV. A three-month-old girl with a history of bronchopneumonia was treated at Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru and has been discharged. An eight-month-old boy, similarly diagnosed with bronchopneumonia, tested positive for HMPV on January 3 and is now recovering.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) emphasized that HMPV is already circulating globally, including in India, with no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases. The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation through surveillance channels and remains prepared for any increase in respiratory illnesses.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) is providing updates on the situation in China, where unconfirmed reports of HMPV cases have surfaced. A recent preparedness drill across India has shown the country’s readiness to handle potential respiratory illness outbreaks.