Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao is currently holding high-level discussions with officials from the Health and Medical Education Departments to take necessary steps to curb the spread.
Also Read: HMPV cases in India: Health Ministry confirms two cases in Karnataka
HMPV, a respiratory virus known to cause symptoms ranging from mild cold-like illness to severe respiratory distress, is particularly concerning for children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
In the latest, one case of the said virus has also been detected in the state of Gujarat.
Two infants test positive for HMPV
Among the two confirmed cases are infants who were treated at Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. A 3-month-old female infant was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted with a history of bronchopneumonia. She has since been discharged after recovering. Meanwhile, an 8-month-old male infant tested positive for HMPV on January 3, 2025, following his admission with a similar history of bronchopneumonia. The infant is currently recovering under medical supervision.
‘No need to panic’
On Monday, the Karnataka government assured that there was no cause for alarm over the HMPV cases as the virus is not new and is already present in the country.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “I don’t think we should be pressing the panic button, because HMPV is not a new virus, it already exists. Reports suggest that it is the first case of HMPV in India, it is not true because HMPV is an existing virus, and a certain percentage of people do get affected by this virus, and it is not something new.”
The Minister further stated that the outbreak of HMPV in China is said to involve a new variant. “We don’t have the full details, and the government of India is yet to provide full details to us, and maybe they are also trying to get more information,” he added.
“… HMPV itself isn’t new, it’s been around for a long time. It typically causes common symptoms like cold, flu, or cough. It’s a self-limiting virus, it goes away after some time. I don’t think we should be calling this the first case,” he said.
