Karnataka Health Minister reassures there is no cause for concern over HMPV

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government reassured the public on Monday there was no reason for alarm over the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), as the virus is already present in the country, following the detection of two cases in Bengaluru.

According to the Union Health Ministry, neither of the patients has a history of international travel. "I don’t think we should be pressing the panic button because HMPV is not a new virus – it has already been present. Reports suggesting this is the first case of HMPV in India are incorrect, as HMPV is an existing virus, and a certain percentage of people are affected by it. It is not something new," said Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Speaking to reporters, he added, "The 8-month-old child has no travel history, and the family is local. They have not come from China or any other country. Therefore, I don’t believe there is any connection to that."

The minister went on to explain that the recent outbreak of HMPV in China is reported to involve a new variant. "We don’t have complete details, and the Centre has not yet provided full information to us. Perhaps they are also trying to gather more details. HMPV itself isn’t new; it has been around for a long time. It generally causes common symptoms such as a cold, flu, or cough. It is a self-limiting virus, meaning it resolves on its own after a time. I don’t think we should be calling this the first case," he said.

Earlier in the day, the health department confirmed that the eight-month-old baby’s case was detected at a private hospital in the state capital. However, they clarified that the samples had not been tested at the government laboratory and were still awaiting confirmation.

The central government is closely monitoring the situation in China, Rao stated. "We are also discussing this internally. I’ve instructed our officers to coordinate with the ICMR and the Centre. I’m having a meeting today to review any new information and determine the next steps."

In response to a question about potential testing, the minister said this would be considered, PTI reported. "Whether this is causing any serious public health concern needs to be evaluated first. Is it truly a public health concern just because one case has been detected? That needs to be examined. If you test anyone with a cold, they will likely have some virus in them," he remarked.

Emphasising the importance of general precautions, he concluded, "If people are careful, it will be better for us—wash your hands, maintain some distance, particularly if you have symptoms. These are already part of the advisories that have been issued."