{"id":209335,"date":"2025-01-07T02:13:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T02:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/07\/indias-hmpv-count-reaches-7-latest-cases-reported-in-tamil-nadu\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T02:13:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T02:13:09","slug":"indias-hmpv-count-reaches-7-latest-cases-reported-in-tamil-nadu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/07\/indias-hmpv-count-reaches-7-latest-cases-reported-in-tamil-nadu\/","title":{"rendered":"India’s HMPV count reaches 7, latest cases reported in Tamil Nadu"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"India’s<\/div>\n
India has confirmed seven cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in children, with cases identified in Bengaluru, Nagpur, Tamil Nadu, and Ahmedabad. This development comes amidst a surge in respiratory illnesses in China. However, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda<\/a> has assured the public that the situation is under control and there is no risk of a COVID-19-like outbreak, as reported by TOI.“HMPV is not a new virus. It was first identified in 2001, and it has been circulating around the world for many years,” Nadda said.<\/p>\n

The Indian Council of Medical Research<\/a> (ICMR) confirmed two cases in Bengaluru, detected at Bangalore Baptist Hospital. A three-month-old girl, admitted with fever and cold in December, tested positive but has since recovered and been discharged. Another case involved an eight-month-old boy who tested positive for both HMPV and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after being admitted with fever and a minor injury. He is currently recovering.<\/p>\n

In Ahmedabad, a two-month-old from Rajasthan\u2019s Dungarpur tested positive for HMPV on 26th December. The infant, who was admitted with respiratory illness, has since been treated and discharged.<\/p>\n

Nagpur reported two cases involving a seven-year-old and a thirteen-year-old. Initially treated for suspected H1N1 (swine flu), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests confirmed HMPV. Both children recovered through outpatient care, according to the Meditrina Institute of Medical Sciences.<\/p>\n


In Tamil Nadu, Health Secretary Supriya Sahu confirmed two active cases in Chennai and Salem. She assured the public that both children are in stable condition, stating, “HMPV infections are self-limiting and resolve with symptomatic care, including adequate hydration and rest.”<\/p>\n

Monitoring Efforts and Global Context<\/h2>\n

The health ministry is closely monitoring the situation in China and neighbouring countries. “The World Health Organisation<\/a> (WHO) has taken cognisance of the situation and will share its report with us shortly,” Nadda said.Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao emphasised that the virus is not linked to the outbreak in China. “Referring to any recent case as the ‘first’ is misleading. I don’t think we should be pressing the panic button,” he noted.<\/p>\n

A Karnataka health official highlighted the potential severity of HMPV in vulnerable populations, particularly children under five, the elderly, and immunosuppressed people. “About 10% of adult patients admitted with pneumonia test positive for HMPV, and 4-6% of viral illnesses in children are caused by this virus,” the official said.<\/p>\n

The ICMR has been conducting ongoing surveillance. “In a 2022 study at BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, HMPV was found in 4% of enrolled paediatric patients,” said Dr Rajni Kant, ICMR\u2019s Chair for Disease Elimination.<\/p>\n

“ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur, tested respiratory pathogens in 100 under-five patients… at BRD Medical College in 2022. Out of 100 enrolled paediatric patients, four (4%) were found HMPV positive,” Kant said.<\/p>\n

Understanding HMPV<\/h2>\n

First identified in the Netherlands in 2001, HMPV is a respiratory virus that ranges from causing mild illnesses to severe conditions like bronchiolitis and pneumonia. It spreads via respiratory droplets and is more prevalent during winter and early spring.<\/p>\n

“About 10% of adult pneumonia cases and 4-6% of viral illnesses in children are attributed to HMPV,” a Karnataka health official said, highlighting the risk to vulnerable populations such as children under five, the elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals.<\/p>\n

The virus’s prevalence in India varies by region, ranging from 1% to 19%. Despite its global recognition, health experts have reiterated that HMPV rarely requires hospitalisation and is manageable with timely intervention.<\/p>\n

Public Reassurances and Preventive Measures<\/h2>\n

Union Health Minister Nadda reassured the nation, stating, “Our health systems and surveillance networks remain vigilant. There is no reason to worry. We are closely monitoring the situation.”<\/p>\n

Preventive measures for HMPV align with standard respiratory infection protocols: covering the mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing, frequent handwashing, and wearing masks in crowded places.<\/p>\n

The Tamil Nadu government echoed this sentiment in a press release, confirming no significant surge in respiratory illnesses in the state. It urged the public to remain calm, as HMPV infections typically resolve with supportive care.<\/p>\n

The news of HMPV cases has had a ripple effect on financial markets, with the Sensex and Nifty witnessing declines. The Nifty 50 dropped over 388 points, and the BSE Sensex fell by more than 1,258 points, impacted by global cues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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India has confirmed seven cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in children, with cases identified in Bengaluru, Nagpur, Tamil Nadu, and Ahmedabad. This development comes amidst a surge in respiratory illnesses in China. However, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda has assured the public that the situation is under control and there is no risk of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":209336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img.etimg.com\/photo\/msid-117006987,imgsize-52932.cms","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[602],"tags":[8114,5156,165224,163215,164607,165222,164969,165221,165225,165223,47163,925,305,7169,2621,1679,5303,90000,9590],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209335"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=209335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209337,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209335\/revisions\/209337"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/209336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=209335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=209335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=209335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}