“There is no cause for any concern”: Union Health Minister on HMPV cases

In a statement today, Union Health Minister, JP Nadda has assured that there is no cause for any concern regarding

HMPV

cases. He stated that the virus was already identified in 2001 and is not new. The virus is said to spread mainly during winter and early spring.
While there has been no surge in cases observed in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, ICMR, and NCDC are monitoring the situation closely, the minister said.

Cases of HMPV, a massive outbreak of which has been identified in China, have been found in India in three infants, all below 8 months, in Karnataka and Gujarat. A three-month-old female infant with a history of bronchopneumonia was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. She has already been discharged, the health ministry said. An eight-month-old male infant with a history of bronchopneumonia tested positive for HMPV on January 3 after being admitted to Baptist Hospital. He is now recovering, it said. A two-month-old boy admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad also tested positive for HMPV. The infant, who hails from Dungarpur in Rajasthan, was admitted to the hospital on December 24, 2024, with symptoms of respiratory infection.

See More: HMPV Symptoms: Infants older adults more vulnerable; common symptoms to watch out for
The virus mostly affects infants and is likely to result in severe complications and this has triggered nationwide concern.
“It is emphasized that HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries. Furthermore, based on current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network, there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in the country,” the Centre had released a statement on HMPV cases in early hours on Monday.

“Union Health Ministry is monitoring the situation through all available surveillance channels. ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year. The World Health Organization (WHO) is already providing timely updates regarding the situation in China to further inform ongoing measures. The recent preparedness drill conducted across the country has shown that India is well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses and public health interventions can be deployed promptly if needed,” it has assured.