Former WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has THIS advice amid rising HMPV cases: ‘We should all take…’

Her post comes at a time when the circulation of this virus has been of particular concern for the health ministries worldwide. India’s tally has reached a total of 7 cases being reported from cities including Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Bengaluru.

Former chief scientist of World Health Organization (WHO) mentioned in an X post on Monday that the Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) virus is nothing to panic about. She said, “It’s a known virus that causes respiratory infections, mostly mild.” The expert has urged people to take the usual and normal precautions that one takes for symptoms of cold, including wearing a mask, washing hands, avoiding crowds, etc. “Rather than jump at detection of every pathogen, we should all take normal precautions when we have a cold,” she said.

Her post comes at a time when the circulation of this virus has been of particular concern for the health ministries worldwide. India’s tally has reached a total of 7 cases being reported from cities including Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Bengaluru. Tamil Nadu has reported the latest case in the country. The initial cases were detected by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in infants who had no international travel history. 

The American Lung Association defines Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) as a common respiratory virus that causes an upper respiratory infection (like a cold). It is a seasonal disease that usually occurs in the winter and early spring, similar to flu. The virus is recognised globally and is not something that has emerged as a completely new strain. 

First discovered in the Netherlands in 2001, it recently gained global attention after an outbreak was reported in China. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has said the health ministry is keeping an eye on the spread of the virus in China. He asserted over the fact that the virus is not new, and has been in circulation for years. 

Affecting all age groups alike, cases of respiratory illnesses linked to the virus have been reported in several countries. However, in India, there is no unusual surge in Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases. 

The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, which may be as a result of coughing or sneezing. It may also spread by coming in direct contact with contaminated surfaces or infected individuals. 

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