- HMPV Virus detected in 2 infants in Bengaluru.
- Amid growing concerns over the outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, on January 6, the Union Health Ministry reported that two cases of HMPV have been detected in Karnataka.
- Of the two infants who were found infected, one has already been discharged from the hospital.
- The first HMPV case was detected in a three-month-old baby girl at Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru. She had bronchopneumonia but has been discharged.
- The second HMPV case was an eight-month-old baby boy who tested positive on January 3 at the same hospital.
- HMPV has been recognized by the American Lung Association as a significant cause of acute respiratory infections, particularly among children.
- For the first time, researchers in the Netherlands discovered this virus in 2001 and identified it as a major cause of respiratory illness during the winter and spring months.
Human Metapneumovirus
- HMPV is a respiratory virus that usually leads to mild to moderate flu-like symptoms.
- It spreads mainly through close contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces and is most active during winter and early spring.
- Typical symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or congested nose, and sometimes wheezing or difficulty breathing.
- Some individuals, especially very young children, the elderly, or people with weakened immune systems, may experience serious respiratory problems such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis.