Mon Jan 06 08:52:31 UTC 2025: ## India Detects First Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) Cases Amidst Global Concerns
**Bengaluru, Karnataka, January 6, 2025** – India has confirmed its first two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), both involving infants in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) detected the virus through routine surveillance for respiratory illnesses. While one three-month-old girl has recovered, an eight-month-old boy is currently recovering at Baptist Hospital.
Neither infant had a history of international travel, easing concerns of a direct link to the recent surge in HMPV cases reported in China. The strain of the virus detected in the Indian cases remains unknown, as data on the Chinese strain is still unavailable.
Karnataka’s Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Harsh Gupta, emphasized that HMPV is a common respiratory virus globally, often causing cold and flu-like symptoms, particularly in children under 11. He stressed that while this might not be the first instance of HMPV in India due to previous lack of widespread monitoring, there is no cause for widespread panic.
Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao echoed this sentiment, stating that the situation is under review and a meeting is scheduled to assess the need for public health intervention. The Union Health Ministry also issued a statement assuring the public that there has been no unusual surge in respiratory illnesses nationally, and that the situation is being monitored closely. The ministry highlighted that HMPV is already present globally and that cases of related respiratory illnesses have been reported internationally.
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