Officials say no cause for concern yet in IndiaThe Union Health Ministry said that it was closely monitoring the alleged outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. The Ministry maintained that while China had reported a rise in respiratory illness, particularly HMPV, India hadn’t registered any unusual spike in winter respiratory diseases.
Five years after the COVID pandemic, China is experiencing a surge in HMPV cases, particularly in children under 14 years of age. Symptoms include cough, fever, and shortness of breath, with potential complications like bronchitis and pneumonia.
Director-General of Health Services Atul Goel told reporters that no case of the respiratory illness — HMPV — has been reported in the country yet. Stating that the Union government was closely monitoring news about the possible HMPV outbreak in China, he added that as of now, there was no cause for alarm.