HMPV in India: What are the symptoms, how can it be prevented?

TWO cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were detected in Karnataka on January 5 and the health departments in several states have released do’s and don’ts to prevent the infection.

However, experts opine that there is no need for immediate worry though everyone should follow the precautionary measures.

The two cases detected are with no travel history – a three-month-old girl and an eight-month-old boy in Bengaluru.

The infection was identified after the children were admitted to Bengaluru’s Baptist Hospital with a history of bronchopneumonia -- a form of pneumonia that infects the lungs.

The health ministry said, “Both cases were identified through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, as part of ICMR's ongoing efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country.”

Earlier this year, China reported several cases of HMPV. Several media reports and social media posts claimed that the virus is spreading rapidly in the country.

The outbreak comes five years after the novel coronavirus, which caused the Covid-19 pandemic, emerged from Wuhan in China.

Videos shared online show crowded hospitals but Chinese authorities have said that there is no significant health crisis.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that the data from the Chinese CDC in late December showed that “the positive rate of HMPV in cases aged 14 and below has recently fluctuated and increased."

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said “respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season”.

However, it is to be noted that HMPV is not a new virus.

So, what is HMPV?

HMPV, discovered in 2001, along with the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) belongs to the Pneumoviridae family. Recently, it was detected in 2023 in the Netherlands, Britain, Finland, Australia, Canada, the US and China.

However, serological studies have shown that it has existed in humans for more than 60 years and is distributed all over the world. The virus can lead to upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are majorly affected.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.

HMPV can be transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets and people-to-people contact, such as handshakes or touching an object contaminated with the virus; and it has an incubation period of between three and five days.

Karnataka issues advisory

Karnataka health department officials, however, emphasised that there is no need to panic about the HMPV infection. Although the virus may already be present in India, there is no clarity yet on whether it has mutated. The state health department has shared details of the detection with the Union Health Ministry and is in regular contact with central officials.

On January 5, the Karnataka government issued an advisory detailing do’s and don’ts regarding the threat posed by the spread of HMPV. “Currently, there is no need to panic regarding the spread of HMPV. The Health Department is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with the Director of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” it said and added, “HMPV is like any other respiratory virus, causing common cold and flu-like symptoms during the winter season, especially among younger and older age groups.”

The Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare has also analysed data on respiratory infections such as the common cold, ILI (Influenza-Like Illness), and SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infections) within the state. It reported no significant increase in cases in December 2024 compared to the previous year. The department urged citizens to follow the recommended precautions to protect themselves and prevent spreading infections.

How to prevent infections

People are advised to cover their mouth and nose with handkerchiefs and tissue paper while coughing or sneezing; wash hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer; avoid crowded places; and stay away from public places while having fever, cough or sneezing.

Adequate ventilation with outdoor air is recommended in all settings to reduce the transmission. People are also advised to stay at home and limit contact with others if they are sick and it's also been advised to drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food.

People are advised not to reuse tissue paper and handkerchiefs; close contact with sick people, sharing of towels, linen, etc.; frequent touching of eyes, nose, and mouth; spitting in public places and self-medication without consulting the physician.

Noted biologist and medical researcher Vinod Scaria said that HMPV is not a new virus.

“It causes mild infections, usually similar to the common cold or flu… HMPV shows a seasonal pattern, with the peak infections during winter… Severe disease is seen in children as well as elderly, apart from individuals with compromised immunity,” he said in a post on X platform.

“In fact, HMPV is quite prevalent with estimates of almost 1 in 10 of all lower respiratory tract infections in the US,” he said. He, however, stressed the need for “approved diagnostics and a pathway for accelerated approvals for diagnostics” against such diseases.

(With IANS inputs)