Well-prepared to handle respiratory illnesses, no unusual surge: Centre on HMPV scare

Number of laboratories to be enhanced, Indian Council of Medical Research to monitor trends all year

New Delhi: In the wake of recent reports of an outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, India is keeping a close watch over the situation through all available channels and has also requested the WHO to share timely updates, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

As a precautionary measure, the number of laboratories testing HMPV cases will be enhanced and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will monitor trends of HMPV for the entire year, it said.

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A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the Directorate General of Health Services here on Saturday to discuss the situation.

Experts from the World Health organization (WHO), Disaster Management (DM) Cell, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), ICMR, Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) Division and from hospitals, including AIIMS-Delhi, participated in the meeting.

After the detailed discussions, and based on the currently available information, it was agreed upon that the situation in China is not unusual in view of the ongoing flu season, said the Ministry.

The reports also suggest that the cause of the present surge is influenza virus, RSV and HMPV, the usual pathogens that are expected during the season, according to the Ministry.

“The government is keeping a close watch over the situation through all available channels and WHO has also been requested to share timely updates regarding the situation in China,” the Ministry said.

These viruses are already in circulation globally, including India, the ministry said, adding physicians from hospitals also confirmed there is no surge in respiratory illness cases over the last few weeks other than the expected seasonal variation.

A robust surveillance system for Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) for Influenza is already in place in India through both ICMR and IDSP networks, and the data from both indicates no unusual surge, said the ministry.

The ICMR network also tests for other respiratory viruses such as Adenovirus, RSV, HMPV etc. and these pathogens also do not show an unusual increase in the tested samples, the Ministry said.

Data from the recently conducted preparedness drill across the country indicated that India is well prepared to deal with any increase in respiratory illnesses, the ministry said.

The health systems and surveillance networks remain vigilant, ensuring the country is ready to respond promptly to any emerging health challenges, it stated.