A 10-month-old kid tested positive for the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) this season, marking Assam’s first incidence of infection, according to officials on Saturday.
According to authorities, the baby is “stable” and receiving care at the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh. According to Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan, superintendent of the state-run hospital, the youngster was taken to AMCH four days ago with symptoms due to a cold. “The HMPV infection was confirmed yesterday after we got test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC,” media quoted the hospital superintendent as saying.
According to Bhuyan, it is standard procedure to send samples for testing in influenza and flu-related illnesses to the Indian Council of Medical Research, or IMCR. “It was a routine test during which the HMPV infection was detected. The child is stable now. It is a common virus, and there is nothing to worry about,” the senior doctor said.
Meanwhile, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) senior scientist Dr. Biswajit Borkakoty said, “Since 2014, we have detected 110 HMPV cases in Dibrugarh district. This is the first case this season. Every year, it is detected, and nothing is new. We have got the sample from AMCH, and this has been found positive for HMPV.”
A common respiratory virus, the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) usually produces moderate symptoms similar to a cold. Although scientists initially discovered it in 2001, studies reveal that it has been present in human populations since the 1970s. 4–16% of acute respiratory infections worldwide are caused by the virus, and incidences typically peak between November and May. Although the majority of individuals have immunity from prior exposure, newborns who are exposed to hMPV for the first time and those with compromised immune systems may experience more severe symptoms.
Recent HMPV cases in other states
According to media reports on Friday, an eight-year-old child from Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district has contracted HMPV, bringing the state’s total number of cases to three.
According to a top official on Tuesday, two probable instances of HMPV were found in Nagpur. Both patients were in good condition at the time their samples were taken. Cases of HMPV were also confirmed in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
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