HMPV Virus Cases Live Updates: Gujarat sees two HMPV cases in a day, city cases rise to five

A three-year-old child who had been undergoing treatment for Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a private hospital for the past few days was discharged on Saturday.

Director of Health for Puducherry, V Ravichandran, told PTI, "The child has fully recovered from the disease and was discharged on Saturday. The parents were given necessary instructions on the care and precautionary measures they should take for the child's health at home." He mentioned that this was the first case of HMPV in Puducherry.

(PTI)

The World Health Organization (WHO) Disease Outbreak report has said that the increase in respiratory infections such as seasonal flu, rhinovirus, RSV and HMPV cases in China in recent weeks has followed the seasonal trends.

According to the WHO report, the increase in respiratory infections was particularly seen in the northern provinces of China. “The observed increase in respiratory pathogen detections is within the range expected for this time of year… Chinese authorities confirmed that the healthcare system is not overwhelmed, hospital utilisation is currently lower than this time last year, and there have been no emergency declarations or responses triggered,” the WHO said.

Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha states, “The resolution of fever, cough, and coryza without the ]medication can indirectly indicate that the isolation period has ended.”

Concurring, Dr Vivek Nangia says, “Once the cough and cold symptoms have settled, it’s generally safe to end isolation,” adding that HMPV is not a major cause for concern. “Cases like this are typically seen around this time of year, and they’re not unusual. However, it’s important for us to stay vigilant, follow precautions, and avoid complacency.”

Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, director of pulmonology at Fortis Hospital Faridabad, tells indianexpress.com, “The exact isolation period for HMPV is not yet fully established, but it is recommended to remain isolated until symptoms subside.”

Dr Vivek Nangia, vice chairman and head of the pulmonology department at Max Healthcare, adds, “The main factor is infectivity. The virus has an incubation period of two to three days during which a patient may not show symptoms but can still be contagious, and the transmission risk remains high for about five to seven days.”

Even if there are no symptoms, Dr Jha notes, HMPV is an RNA (Ribonucleic acid) virus, and its RNA can be shed in respiratory secretions for five to 14 days after the onset of symptoms. “Therefore, the ideal isolation period is 14 days,” he notes. 

Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi Friday ruled out any major concerns related to human metapneumovirus (HMPV).

“This is not a new virus and we have urged people not to panic,” Dudi said. After taking a detailed review of the situation in Pune and interacting with experts, it is clear that this virus is a mild one. Hence basic precautionary measures are important like consulting a doctor if diagnosed with an influenza-like illness, he added.

Approximately 20 HMPV cases were diagnosed in Pune in 2023-24 in the paediatric group and another four to five cases in the adult group with co-morbid conditions.

An eight-year-old boy from Gujarat's Sabarkantha district has contracted human metapneumovirus infection, taking the number of HMPV cases in the state to three, an official said on Friday.

The boy, who belongs to a family of farm labourers from Prantij taluka, was found positive for HMPV in a test run by a private laboratory but health authorities had sent his blood samples to a government lab for confirmation, he said.

The child, who is currently admitted to a private hospital in Himmatnagar town, had been considered a suspected HMPV case until now.

“The government lab on Friday confirmed that the boy is infected with HMPV. He is currently under treatment and his condition is stable,” said Sabarkantha District Collector Ratankanvar Gadhavicharan.

Doctors at the hospital told reporters that the boy was on a ventilator.

(PTI)