New Delhi: Five cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory pathogen, have emerged in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, marking the first recorded instances of this virus in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian Health Minister J.P. Nadda confirmed the cases and stressed the government’s vigilance in monitoring the situation. HMPV, which was first identified in 2001, causes respiratory infections and is transmitted through the air.
The affected children are currently recovering, though health experts have called for increased surveillance to monitor the virus’s spread. Hospitals in Delhi have been instructed to prepare for possible surges in respiratory illnesses. Despite these developments, Nadda noted that there has been no unusual increase in respiratory virus cases across the country.