India has recorded its first case of Human MetaPneumoVirus (HMPV) in an eight-month-old baby from Bengaluru, who has not traveled recently.
The case was found at Baptist Hospital, and the sample was not checked by the state health department. The rise in HMPV cases in countries like China and Malaysia has caused worry.
Symptoms of HMPV are similar to those of common viral infections, making it hard to diagnose. Dr. Sourabh Pahuja mentioned that while identifying the virus based on symptoms alone is not accurate, specific testing during outbreaks can help confirm HMPV infections, much like the strategies used for monitoring Covid-19.
