17 HMPV Cases Reported From Pune's Sassoon Hospital Since December, District Authorities Reassure Readiness

While most reports as yet from several cities have been reporting single digit numbers of cases of the HMPV infection, Pune's report of 17 cases at the famed Sassoon hospital has come as a shocker.

Ever since reports of the HMPV infections and rush in hospitals in China began making news, there has been a sense of panic amongst across the world. Indian cities had in the last one week begun reporting a case or two each but it has now been reported that Pune's state-run Sassoon Hospital has already recorded 17 cases of HMPV till December last year.

As per a report in Pune Mirror, a city daily, the 17 cases reported till December 2024 show that the virus is not unfamiliar to us, said Dr Nagnath Yempalle, Pune district’s civil surgeon. The daily reports that its correspondents checked with the medical superintendent of Sassoon Hospital about the same. Dr Yallappa Jadhav, who assumed the role of Medical Superintendent since April last year, reportedly confirmed the same. “We had 17 cases of HMPV, of which the majority were paediatric cases. Hence, we know how to tackle and manage these cases and are prepared for any kind of emergency like always.”

Pune district collector has urged that people should not panic and held a meeting with authorities from the district's government hospitals, medical colleges, civil hospital including those from Baramati on Wednesday. At least nine cases of HMPV has been detected across the country so far. 

Dr Nagnath Yempalle, Pune district’s civil surgeon told the newspaper, “With all the stakeholders present, we decided, as per the collector’s instructions, to set up isolation wards in all government hospitals and monitor and track the cases.”

No Need To Panic, All Facilities In Place: Pune District Collector

District collector Jitendra Dudi, said, “It is important to track the cases, but given the expenses, we would like to request NIV, for which our health officials will be roped in to take it forward... Besides that, we urge people not to panic, as all preparedness plans have been implemented and are in place, and all medical officials have been instructed to keep a watch on all kinds of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and SARI cases. Not only this, but we have also asked senior doctors to train their staff and nurses about HMPV so that we can detect cases early, provide early medical intervention and avoid panic."

The writer is a senior independent journalist