HMPV in India: Govt assures sturdy surveillance amidst rising cases

As HMPV cases are being identified in the country, the government is preparing to tackle the situation. However, as of now there is no surge in respiratory illness in the country, the Union Health Secretary has said in an official statement.
In a meeting chaired by

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava

, states and union territories have been asked to review the situation of respiratory illnesses, news agency ANI reported. The Union Health Secretary has reviewed the present situation of respiratory illnesses in the country and the status of public health measures for its management. States have been advised to strengthen awareness among the masses regarding preventive measures. States have also been advised to strengthen and review the ILI/SARI surveillance.

“During the meeting, it was reiterated that the data from IDSP does not indicate any unusual rise in ILI and SARI cases anywhere in the country. This is also corroborated by the ICMR sentinel surveillance data,” an official statement said.
“HMPV is one of the many respiratory viruses that can cause infections in people of all age groups particularly during the winter and early spring months. The virus infection is usually a mild and self limiting condition and most cases recover on their own. It was informed that adequate diagnostic facilities are available with the ICMR-VRDL labs,” the statement added.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda reassured the public on Monday, saying that there is no cause for alarm. He emphasized that the virus, first identified in 2001, poses no new threat.
The

Indian Council of Medical Research

(ICMR) confirmed two cases of HMPV in Karnataka’s Bengaluru, and another case was reported in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. These cases were detected as part of ongoing surveillance efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country. A third case was identified was identified in Tamil Nadu.
“Health experts have clarified that HMPV is not a new virus. It was first identified in 2001… HMPV spreads through the air and can affect people of all age groups. The virus spreads more during the winter and early spring months,” Nadda said.
He also mentioned that the government is closely monitoring the situation, with the ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) keeping track of developments and ensuring the country’s preparedness to handle any emerging health challenges.