Mon Jan 06 23:30:34 IST 2025: ## HMPV Virus Cases Emerge in India, Prompting Health Alert
**New Delhi, India** – A surge in Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections has prompted health officials across India to increase vigilance. Following the initial detection of HMPV cases in Karnataka, a two-month-old infant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has tested positive for the virus. The child, who had traveled from Dungarpur, Rajasthan, for treatment, is currently stable. While HMPV is not a new virus and typically causes mild respiratory illness, it poses a greater risk to infants and the elderly. There is no specific treatment or vaccine, and recovery usually occurs within a week.
The Gujarat case follows two previously reported HMPV infections in Karnataka, one in a two-month-old girl and another in an eight-month-old boy. While one child has been discharged, the other remains under observation.
In response to the rising number of cases, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has instructed the city’s Health and Family Welfare Department to prepare for a potential increase in respiratory illnesses. All Delhi hospitals are to be fully prepared, following guidelines from the central health ministry. The health secretary will conduct daily inspections of hospitals and submit reports directly to the minister.
Health officials emphasize that while there is no need for panic, caution and preventative measures are advised. The virus, while not new, sees an uptick in cases during winter months.
First Piper 