Hmpv cases : found a new case in Assam

Hmpv cases ; cases are increasing continuously in India . AMCH superintendent Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuinya said the child was admitted to the hospital four days ago with cold-like symptoms. Yesterday, we received the test report from the ICMR-RMRC in Lahowal.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) which is wreaking havoc in China has now reached India. Cases have been reported in many states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra. Now Assam’s name has also been added to this list. Here a 10-month-old child has been diagnosed with HMPV infection. The child is being treated at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh. His condition is currently said to be stable.

HMPV VIRUS- “The child was admitted with cold and cough.
Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuinya, superintendent of AMCH, said that the child was admitted with cold and cough like symptoms four days ago. Yesterday, we received the test report from ICMR-RMRC, Lahowal, which confirmed the HMPV infection,” he said.

Nothing to worry about: Bhuinya

He said samples are routinely sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for influenza and flu-like cases. It was a routine check-up that detected the infection. The child’s condition is stable. It is a common virus and there is nothing to worry about.

Cases have been reported earlier as well

Dr Biswajit Borkakoti, senior scientist at the Regional Medical Research Centre NE, Lahowal, said, “Since 2014, we have detected 110 HMPV cases in Dibrugarh district. This is the first case this season. It is found every year and there is nothing new in it. The sample we received from AMCH was found to be HMPV positive.”

What is Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)?

Human motapneumovirus, also known by the short name HMPV, is a virus that affects the respiratory system of humans. It was first identified in 2001. It was then discovered by scientists in the Netherlands. It is a virus of the Paramyxoviridae family.
Like other respiratory viruses, it is spread by being in close proximity to infected people when they cough or sneeze.
Some studies have claimed that this virus has been present in the world for the last six decades.

Who is affected by HMPV and to what extent?

It primarily affects children. However, its effects have also been reported in people with weakened immune systems and the elderly.
Due to this virus, people may complain of cold, cough, fever, phlegm. In more serious cases, a whistling sound can also be heard from people’s mouth due to blockage of the throat and windpipe.
In some more serious cases, this virus can cause bronchiolitis (inflammation of the tubes carrying oxygen to the lungs) and pneumonia (filling of water in the lungs). Due to this, the infected may need to be hospitalized.
Since its symptoms are similar to those of coronavirus infection and common flu, it is difficult to differentiate between the two. However, while the coronavirus epidemic spread in every season, HMPV has so far been considered mainly a seasonal infection. However, its presence has been recorded throughout the year in many places.
Unlike corona, this virus can cause risk of infection in both upper and lower respiratory tract.
In normal cases, the effect of this virus lasts for three to five days.

HMPV VIRUS – In which countries of the world has its effect been seen?
In 2023, several cases of HMPV have been reported in the Netherlands, Britain, Finland, Australia, Canada, the United States and China. According to Li Tongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Infectious Diseases at Yu’an Hospital of Capital Medical University in Beijing, wearing masks, washing hands frequently and maintaining immunity can provide relief from the disease.

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