Mon Jan 06 06:45:19 UTC 2025: ## Second Case of HMPV Virus Detected in Bengaluru After China Outbreak
**Bengaluru, India** – A second case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) has been detected in Karnataka, India, following an outbreak in China. An eight-month-old infant in Bengaluru tested positive for the virus at a private hospital. This comes after a three-month-old girl, who has since recovered, was previously diagnosed with HMPV in the state. Neither child had recent international travel history.
While the specific strain of HMPV remains unidentified, health officials state that the virus, commonly affecting children, typically presents with cold-like symptoms such as cough, runny nose, and sore throat. However, in young children and the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems, HMPV can cause more severe illness, including breathing difficulties.
The Karnataka health department confirmed the Bengaluru case, although testing wasn’t conducted in their labs. The department expressed no reason to doubt the private hospital’s report. HMPV accounts for approximately 0.7% of all flu samples.
In response to the rising concern, Delhi medical officers have issued an advisory to address potential challenges posed by the virus. Hospitals have been instructed to immediately report influenza-like illness cases via the IHIP portal and maintain strict isolation protocols for suspected cases. Adequate supplies of oxygen, paracetamol, antihistamines, bronchodilators, and cough syrups are also mandated for treatment.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that HMPV is not a new virus, with its first detection dating back to 2001. Some serological evidence suggests the virus may have been present as early as 1958.
First Piper 