Announcements from the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare or Ministry of External Affairs

ICMR Confirms First HMPV Cases in India: Two Infants at Bengaluru's Baptist Hospital Test Positive

Jan 6, 2025, 05:54 AM

Two infants, an eight-month-old and a three-month-old, in Bengaluru have tested positive for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), marking the first known cases in India. The cases were detected at the city's Baptist Hospital, with samples collected on January 2. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirmed the detections through routine surveillance. Both infants had no recent travel history and are recovering. The Karnataka state health department has called an emergency meeting, and the Union Health Ministry has confirmed the cases, stating that the surveillance system is robust with no unusual surge in influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) cases in the country. With HMPV cases rising in China, concerns are being monitored.