A 6-month-old baby tested positive for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), which is widely spread in China and outbreak in India. The infected infant was admitted to the Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) last week, reported TOI. Taking to this the tally in Maharashtra rose to three and nine in the country.
According to the report, Doctors at Hiranandani Hospital in Powai alerted about the report of HMPV in a child on January 1, but the civic hospital in Parel claimed that they didn't receive any such report from the private hospital.
The infected infant was showing symptoms of low oxygen level due to cough and congestion in the chest. Due to this, doctors at the hospital conducted a new rapid anti-PCR test, which returned a positive result. She was discharged from the hospital after being admitted for five days.
Also Read | What Is HMPV? Symptoms and How to Stay Safe During Human Metapneumovirus Outbreak.
On Monday, two cases of HMPV were reported from Nagpur city hospital. The patients were in good health and discharged to home after completion of treatment. Their samples were collected and sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
Also Read | HMPV Virus Prevention Tips: Stay Safe from Human Metapneumovirus.
Cases of HMPV outbreaks in India have raised public fears about another pandemic or lockdown like COVID-19. However, health experts suggest that the virus is not new but decades old, and it is unlikely to cause a coronavirus-like situation in the country. So far, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat are the other states that have reported the virus in India.