New Delhi: Its been more than a week since the HMPV made its presence felt in the northern part of China causing an outbreak in the country. Health officials and agencies have been working over time to contain the spread of the infection which is similar to the RSA family but is considered to be a very mild variant. The outbreak in China, which was caused by a cocktail of winter viruses in the country, has brought back attention of all global health leaders and organisations to assess the situation of a transmissible disease.
In India, the human metapneumovirus has been diagnosed earlier but the 2025 cases and the surge in cases that we are witnessing in the new year is causing a bit of a discomfort to our health practitioners. They feel, even though the virus is mild and is not driving hospitalisations at the moment, the situation could change rapidly. As was noticed with the COVID-19 cases when they had first struck.
There have been 10 cases reported from India within only a few days. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and even Assam has reported confirmed cases of the HMPV. State governments have promptly issued advisories for patients and hospitals to ensure that the infection is contained. The Centre and ICMR are also watching these developments very closely.
The HMPV has earlier caused minor outbreaks in different parts of the world but there was no pandemic type situation that had arisen. Will it be the case in 2025 as well? “Going by the initial reports of the virus in China, Hong Kong etc, it appears as though the HMPV is not a very virulent strain. It is known to cause symptoms that are akin to influenza and has an incubation period of 3-6 days. Patients are recovering without much medical intervention and their condition is being monitored even post hospitalisation, which is a good practise,” says infectious disease specialist, Dr Girish Gupta, from Fortis Hospitals.
The infection is mild
Dr Gupta says the HMPV attacks both the lower as well as the upper respiratory systems but doesn’t impact the lungs or cause any serious inflammation in it. The symptoms are manageable and are treated on their own. However, he advised that the patients test for HMPV if the symptoms persist.
“A simple RT-PCR should tell us if there are antibodies for the HMPV present in the body. The test is a good way to record what part of the population has been exposed to the infection. It will help epidemiologists study the nature and the mutations of the virus. Testing should be made a priority, if not a mandate,” Dr Gupta believes.
His colleague, and a lung specialist, Dr Renuka Dhave, feels the mildness of the virus is good news but the fact that HMPV is a weak genus means the infection can be recurring. Her worry is also that post Covid and long COVID, there is very little information available on what the virus has done to our immune system. “The SARS-CoV2 has ravaged through our body in the last few years. It has caused a huge amount of damage to some people more than others. If our country achieved 100 per cent zero prevalence, which meant we all had been exposed to this deadly novel virus, it also means we are prone to more such infections. Now how will the HMPV virus react to such a weakened immune system in most of us remains to be seen,” added Dr Dhave, although she said going by the cases that we already have in India, it doesn’t seem to be a potential live taking threat.
That’s the good news. What isn’t is the spread of the virus which is multiplying by the time we write this piece.
Any infection spread needs to be investigated
Former WHO doctor, Saumya Vishwanathan, had said that the HMPV is a common virus that is present in most countries at the moment. She had also said that almost 3 per cent of the entire population will be having the said virus. But doctors say infection should still be probed.
“We don’t want a repeat of the mistakes that we have done during SARS-CoV2. Hence containment of any infection (especially the type which spreads via air droplets) need to be closely monitored and examined for further status. We are a heterologous country and viruses won’t behave the same every where. Peaks and surges need to be controlled right before it can manifest into something larger,” said Dr Dhave.
Dr Gupta, too, is of the opinion that an infection spread in a country like ours can quickly become something dangerous even if the virus in itself is mild. “Our medical facilities will not be able to cope with a large influx of patients. We don’t want to overwhelm the hospitals by allowing such a situation to occur. The infection can be controlled with apt vigilance and monitoring at the lowest level. Some of the stand operating procedures could be brought back without pandering to any fear mongering,” he says.
With tests for HMPV becoming a standard procedure, cases are bound to multiply. A two pronged approach is the need of the hour. First, patient should be given proper treatment and care and their condition should be monitored even post diagnosis of the human metapneumovirus. Second, infections should be contained within the premises and all effort should be made to not let it spread in a big area.
The Human Metapneumovirus is not a novel virus that is in circulation but its rising infection in India could be a cause for concern, say experts. Although the HMPV largely infects children below the age of 5, there is a possibility that the virus may attack people with weakened immunity as well. To contain the spread of the infection should be the primary aim. Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
