An eight-year-old child from Sabarkantha tested positive for human metapneumovirus (HMPV) on Friday, January 10, taking the tally to three in Gujarat. The state recorded its first HMPV case on January 6 after a 2-month-old infant from Rajasthan tested positive at a hospital. The child was discharged later after the completion of treatment.
The boy, who belongs to a family of farm labourers from Prantij taluka, was found positive for HMPV in a test run by a private laboratory but health authorities had sent his blood samples to a government lab for confirmation. The child, who is currently admitted to a private hospital in Himmatnagar town, had been considered a suspected HMPV case until now.
The government lab on Friday confirmed that the boy is infected with HMPV. He is currently under treatment and his condition is stable, said Sabarkantha District Collector Ratankanvar Gadhavicharan.
According to the researchers, the HMPV virus was first reported in 2001 and belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family. Experts suggest that HMPV is not a severe virus-like COVID-19 and does not need hospitalisation in several cases. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing.
Earlier, an 80-year-old man was infected from HMPV in Ahmedabad. According to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the patient was suffering from asthma disease for a long period of time. He was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, January 8. After testing,g he was found positive for HMPV virus. The patient is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital and he does not have any travel history abroad, a statement issued by the AMC said.
Also Read | What Is HMPV? Symptoms and How to Stay Safe During Human Metapneumovirus Outbreak.
All other people which was infected with HMPV are said to be stable. HMPV mostly infect infants, old citizens, and people whose immunity is weak. In older people, the symptoms range from mild to severe, and the infected individual usually shows symptoms like cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath. Fever and fatigue may also occur.