Assam records first HMPV case in 10-month-old child
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Dibrugarh: Assam registered its first case of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection on Saturday after a 10-month-old child turned positive for the disease. The child is undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh and is "stable" now, PTI reported citing officials.
AMCH Superintendent Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan said the child was admitted to the state-run hospital with cold-related symptoms four days ago.
“The HMPV infection was confirmed yesterday after we got test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC,” the hospital superintendent said.
Bhuyan said that samples are sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research for tests in influenza and flu-related cases as a routine practice.
"It was a routine test during which the HMPV infection was detected. The child is stable now. It is a common virus, and there is nothing to worry about," he said.
ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) Senior Scientist Dr Biswajit Borkakoty said, "Since 2014, we have detected 110 HMPV cases in Dibrugarh district. This is the first case this season. Every year, it is detected, and nothing is new. We have got the sample from AMCH, and it was found positive for HMPV." Human metapneumovirus is one of the many respiratory viruses that can cause infections in people of all ages, particularly during the winter and early spring months.
The virus infection is usually a mild and self-limiting condition, and most such patients recover on their own.
On Tuesday, former AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said antibiotics are not an option for treating Human Metapneumovirus, but proper hydration and eating nutritious food are needed. His advice comes when the country witnesses an uptick in respiratory illness cases.
Guleria, Chairman of the Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Medanta Gurugram, told IANS that the virus is not new and causes only mild infection.