Assam Reports Season's First HMPV Case; Nationwide Tally At 15

A 10-year-old infant has been found to be infected with HMPV and has been admitted to Assam Medical College and Hospital.

Assam has reported its season's first HMPV case.

Source : PTI

Assam has reported its first case of Human Metapneumovirus detected in a 10-month-old infant. The infant has been admitted to Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh and the doctors said his health condition is stable. 

With the latest case, the nationwide tally of HMPV cases has reached 15 with the highest of 4 cases from Gujarat. On Friday, Rajasthan and Gujarat reported one case each while three cases were reported on Thursday. 

AMCH Superintendent Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan said the child was admitted to the state-run hospital with cold-related symptoms four days ago, reported PTI. 

The HMPV infection was confirmed on Friday after receiving test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC,” the hospital superintendent said.

The samples are sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research for tests in influenza and flu-related cases as a routine practice, Bhuyan added. 

"It was a routine test during which the HMPV infection was detected. The child is stable now. It is a common virus and there is nothing to worry about," he said.

Since 2014, Dibrugarh district has reported 110 HMPV cases, said ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) Senior Scientist Biswajit Borkakoty. 

"This is the first case this season. Every year it is detected, and nothing is new. We have got the sample from AMCH and this has been found positive for HMPV," he added. 

Amid the rise in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in India, the Center on Tuesday asked states to review surveillance of the respiratory disease in the country.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a meeting with states and Union Territories in virtual mode and said states should strengthen influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance and review.

The Health Secretary also advised the states to increase awareness among the people about the prevention of virus infection.