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Malaysia has reportedly seen a jump in HMPV infections, whose symptoms include fever, runny nose, and shortness of breath.
“We are closely watching this space. Group companies where we see most travel to these destinations are asking employees to exercise all precautions, including the use of masks, sanitisers, and even avoiding travel, if possible. Employees are to check latest company advisories before any travel,” said Supratik Bhattacharyya, chief talent officer for RPG Group.
The information technology-to-tyre conglomerate is not the only business house keeping an eye out for the latest reports on HMPV cases, some of which have been reported in India as well.
An energy company had an internal meeting of HR officials on Monday to discuss the strategies that they will need to put in place in case there is a surge in cases in India. “The stock markets have taken a dip and the virus is one of the reasons. We discussed what steps to be taken and when should a formal advisory go out,” said a senior official of the company, declining to be identified.
The benchmark Sensex lost nearly 1,260 points, or 1.6%, on Monday to settle at 77,964.99 amid fears of a virus surge and weakness in bank stocks following a muted credit growth.
To be sure, aviation consultants have emphasized that the government may need to start monitoring international passengers coming into the country.
There are some firms that have stuck to the safety protocols adopted during the covid-19 pandemic. “Masks in case of common cold, regular washing of hands, and sanitizing of devices is encouraged. As our employees regularly travel across the globe, we encourage them to follow local and international health advisories,” said Adarsh Mishra, chief human resources officer (CHRO), Panasonic Life Solutions India.
During covid years, Indian companies had declared work from home, and it was only in 2024 that businesses began asking their employees to return to office.
HMPV caught global attention when China reported a surge in the respiratory illness with flu-like symptoms in the week ended 22 December, with the country’s disease control authority noting an upward trend in cases.
Government advices caution
The Indian health ministry convened a joint monitoring group meeting with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), and medical agencies last Saturday. It had then noted that while there was no unusual surge in respiratory illnesses, the government will increase testing for HMPV as a precautionary measure.
On Monday, the ministry said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had detected two cases of HMPV in infants through routine surveillance. However, later in the day, PTI mentioned a total of five cases have been reported in the country.
India’s government and the medical community have pointed out that there is no reason for alarm, but have advised precaution.
“Health experts have clarified that HMPV is not a new virus. It was first identified in 2021 and has been circulating in the entire world since then,” said J.P. Nadda, Union minister of health and family welfare. “HMPV spreads through air by way of respiration. This can affect persons of all age groups and the virus spreads more during winter and early spring months. On recent reports of the cases on HMPV China, the health ministry, the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Centre for Disease Control are keeping a close watch on the situation in China as well as in the neighbouring countries. The WHO has taken cognisance of the situation and will share their report shortly with us,” Nadda said.
The health systems and surveillance networks of the country remain vigilant, ensuring that the country is ready for any emerging health challenges. “There is no reason to worry. We are closely monitoring the situation,” he added.
“Our leading pulmonologists believe that the current HMPV situation in China doesn’t warrant panic in India as of now, with a few reported cases and little morbidity. We need to follow the basic precautions, which include washing of hands regularly, wearing masks in crowded places and staying hydrated,” Arunesh Punetha, CEO, western region, Apollo Hospitals told Mint.
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have released precautionary advisories. The aviation industry, which was one of the first to get impacted during the pandemic, will be on alert. “India needs to find an easy way to begin checking and tracking passengers like we did during the second wave of covid. The government needs to monitor international passenger arrivals and the health department should monitor them for 10 days,” said Sanjay Lazar, chief executive officer of Avialaz Consultants, an aviation consultancy firm.
Aviation operations
While India does not have direct flights to China since the 2020 border skirmish, Indians take a detour to other Southeast Asian countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia etc in order to fly to and from China.
During the pandemic, the aviation sector came to a complete standstill, before gradually resuming operations.
India’s largest airline IndiGo said it is committed to providing a safe and healthy travel experience for its customers. “In response to the evolving situation with HMPV, we are diligently following all prescribed procedures and recommendations. Our existing cleaning protocols meet high standards of hygiene, and we are prepared to enhance them in accordance with any future directives. The safety and well-being of our customers and crew remain our top priority, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and adapt our operations as required by the government,” a company spokesperson told Mint.
Mint reached out to the Union civil aviation ministry, Air India, Malaysia Airlines and Cathay Pacific, but they had not responded till press time.
Diagnostic laboratories have not raised any alarm yet. “The combination of cold weather, worsening air pollution, increased international air travel, festive gatherings, and crowding creates an ideal environment for spread of HMPV. Testing and robust surveillance are critical to monitor and manage outbreaks effectively especially considering the recent surge of HMPV infections in China,” said Niranjan Patil-head and biosafety officer for infectious diseases, microbiology and molecular biology — Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. Metropolis did not confirm whether they had seen a surge in testing for HMPV in recent weeks.
An executive at a genomics testing facility focused on infectious diseases, who requested anonymity, told Mint that it was too soon to ascertain if there is an actual surge in cases and what is causing it.
With inputs from Priyanka Sharma
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