Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of the World Health Organization, said that there is no reason to panic about Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV). “This is a well-known virus that causes respiratory infections, with symptoms that are mostly mild,” he said in a post on X. Swaminathan also urged people to take normal precautions for cold symptoms, like wearing a mask, washing hands etc.
Gave instructions to people
Making people aware, he said, “Instead of panicking, we all should take normal precautions when we have a cold. We should wear a mask, wash hands, avoid crowds, consult a doctor in case of serious symptoms.” The assurance from the former scientist of the World Health Organization has come when the test reports of three infants in Karnataka and Gujarat in India showing symptoms of this virus came positive on Monday. Just a few days ago, the first case of HMPV was reported in India.
Two of the three cases were detected in Karnataka through routine surveillance of multiple respiratory viral pathogens by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). None of the patients had any history of international travel.
There is no need to be afraid of the virus
HMPV is a respiratory virus that recently spread in China and has attracted worldwide attention. It is a viral pathogen that can cause respiratory infections in people of all age groups. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has said that the Health Ministry is monitoring the spread of the virus in China. Trying to allay fears, he stressed that it was “not a new virus and there is no need to be afraid of it.”
This is not a new virus
Earlier, the Health Ministry had stressed that HMPV is already prevalent globally, including in India, and cases of associated respiratory diseases have been reported in various countries. There has been no unusual increase in cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) in India. HMPV was first discovered in the Netherlands in 2001 and is a virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family. It is closely related to Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It is spread by respiratory droplets released from coughing or sneezing, as well as by touching contaminated surfaces or coming into direct contact with infected individuals.
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