"Not to worry," India says, keeping an eye on influenza and respiratory infections amid China's COVID-19 HMPV outbreak.

HMPV outbreak: In the face of China's Covid-like HMPV outbreak, the Indian health agency said on Friday that there is no reason for concern. The Union Health Ministry's NCDC is also keeping a careful eye on incidences of seasonal influenza and respiratory diseases.

India is keeping an eye on the situation and communicating with international authorities in response to growing fears over a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China.

While stating that there is nothing to be concerned about, Dr. Atul Goyal of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) advised adopting general measures.

"Be cautious in general. When coughing or sneezing, use a handkerchief or towel, and take your regular medications as prescribed for a cold or fever. Otherwise, there's nothing concerning about the current state of affairs," he continued.


In the meantime, incidences of seasonal influenza and respiratory infections are being closely watched by the Union Health Ministry's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

"We will continue to monitor the situation closely, validate information, and update accordingly," official sources told news agency ANI.

Concerning the virus
The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) states that the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an enveloped single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus that is a member of the Pneumoviridae, Metapneumovirus genus.

Time frame for incubation
According to the China CDC, the immunological protection induced by HMPV is insufficient to prevent recurrent infection, and the incubation time following infection is roughly three to five days.

Conditions of the respiratory system
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) can cause upper and lower respiratory diseases in persons of all ages, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms—Cough, fever, congestion of the nose, and dyspnea are symptoms frequently linked to HMPV.

It is most frequently transmitted from an infected individual to others by intimate personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands, and secretions from coughing and sneezing.

Precautions: Patients can help stop the spread by often washing their hands with soap, avoiding close contact with infected persons, and not touching their mouth, nose, or eyes with unwashed hands.

Increased surveillance is required.
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a relatively under-recognized pathogen that has been a silent contributor to seasonal respiratory illnesses worldwide, according to Dr. Arjun Dang, CEO of Dangs Lab, who told ANI that the outbreak in China underscores the need for increased surveillance and early detection mechanisms to curb its spread.

China claims to be monitoring
As occurrences of several respiratory ailments are predicted to increase during the winter, China's diseases control body announced last week that it was testing a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin.

Pathogens such the rhinovirus and human metapneumovirus have been found in recent cases; the number of human metapneumovirus cases among those under 14 is on the rise, particularly in northern regions.