The Netherlands, Britain, Finland, Australia, Canada, the US, and China were among the countries with documented HMPV cases in 2023. China is currently dealing with a spike in Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases, a respiratory virus, five years after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Five confirmed cases have been reported from India, two from each of the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and one from Ahmedabad. Bengaluru schools have put surveillance systems in place and are warning parents not to take their kids to school if they show any signs. The virus appears to be spreading quickly throughout the nation, according to a number of media reports and social media posts. The inflow of patients is overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums, according to some.

What is HMPV?
Human Metapneumovirus, or HMPV, is a virus that can affect people of all ages and cause both upper and lower respiratory illnesses. Those with compromised immune systems, elderly individuals, and young children are especially at risk to severe disease from the virus. The Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) subgroup C is closely related to this negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus, which is a member of the Pneumoviridae family.

A member of the Pneumoviridae family, which also contains Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), HMPV was discovered in 2001. Nonetheless, serological research indicates that the virus is widespread and has been in humans for more than 60 years.

All ages can be affected by HMPV, although young children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to upper and lower respiratory illnesses.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that shortness of breath, fever, coughing, and nasal congestion are typical symptoms. HMPV is transmitted by respiratory droplets, physical contact (e.g., handshakes), or contact with contaminated objects, according to Li Tongzeng, a top physician at Beijing You’an Hospital. Three to five days are needed for the virus to incubate.

Wearing masks, washing your hands frequently, and increasing your immunity are all preventive strategies.

Signs and symptoms of HMPV
The respiratory system is usually impacted by HMPV, and frequent symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. In extreme situations, it may result in bronchiolitis or pneumonia, necessitating hospitalization and oxygen treatment. Adults over 65 who have flu-like symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, and shortness of breath are frequently afflicted with HMPV.

Is HMPV similar to other viruses that cause colds?
HMPV can cause more severe symptoms in susceptible groups, including newborns, elderly people, and those with compromised immune systems, even though it shares features with other respiratory viruses like the flu or RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).

Does the HMPV virus resemble the Covid-19 virus?
Although both HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19 virus) are respiratory diseases, their virologies, modes of transmission, and effects on public health are very different. Both can result in symptoms like fever, coughing, and dyspnea and are transmitted by respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces. Covid-19, on the other hand, has a greater risk of systemic problems and a wider variety of symptoms, such as loss of taste and smell.

What have health organizations, professionals, and the WHO said about HMPV?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have not issued any serious warnings regarding HMPV. Despite being contagious, experts say the virus does not now represent a pandemic threat.

The former WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said, “Nothing to panic about HMPV, don’t jump at detection of every pathogen, we should all take normal precautions when we have a cold: wear a mask, wash hands, avoid crowds, consult a doctor in case of severe symptoms.”

Renowned paediatrician Dr Krishna Chugh said, “Those who have a respiratory infection, whether they’re adults or somewhat older children aged three, four, or five years, should be isolated for 1 to 3 days till they show improvement.”

Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, chairman of the Kerala State IMA Research Cell, said, “HMPV is very common in young children and there is no vaccine or antiviral treatment recommended. The HMPV or the Human Metapneumovirus is not a killer virus. It is not a virus that causes severe pneumonia or causes deaths like Covid did in the first part of the pandemic. In fact, this virus is so common among young children that nearly 100 per cent of younger children would have become infected by the age of four or five years.”

Gautam Menon, Dean, Research, at Ashoka University, said, “An HMPV infection results typically in a cough, fever, a blocked nose, and some shortness of breath. A small fraction, between 5 and 10 per cent of all respiratory infections during the flu season everywhere are caused by this virus. The symptoms are usually mild but the very young and the very old may be susceptible to more severe disease.”

“There is no need to worry specifically about HMPV”.