HMPV Outbreak in China Raises Global Alarm
Midhuna Madhavan,
C.S. National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi Kerala
INTRODUCTION
The recent surge in HMPV cases, causing respiratory illnesses and hospitalisations, ominously echoes the uncertainty and caution of the early COVID-19 period. The HMPV or Human Metapneumovirus outbreak in China has raised global concerns regarding its transmission, impact, treatment, and potential healthcare challenges.
HMPV IN INDIA
India has also been witnessing a growing number of cases, but the authorities held that there is currently no reason for panic. HMPV has yet to show rapid transmissibility, but experts are keeping a close eye on it. With the new cases in Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the total number of infections in India has reached 7. The first reported infections in Karnataka were identified through the routine check of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). However, according to the government data, there has been no increase in the cases of HMPV in India. The affected individuals, all infants under 10 months old, were hospitalised with bronchopneumonia. The virus detected in them indicates the local circulation of the virus, as the patients have no history of international travel.
The HMPV virus was first reported in 2001 in the Netherlands. Its outbreak typically occurs during the colder seasons, and it has been recognised globally since 2001. The HMPV virus is a single-stranded RNA genome that is enveloped and has a negative orientation. It has always been seen as occurring in children below the age of 6. The virus causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections along with symptoms including cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose and, in some cases, shortness of breath. These symptoms usually subside within a few days to a week in children and within 1 to 2 weeks in adults. HMPV can be severe in people with medical conditions such as heart disease, asthma, and emphysema, and infections can be serious in people with weakened immune systems, especially those who have undergone bone marrow or lung transplants. The transmission can happen through secretions from coughing and sneezing, close contact with the affected person touching contaminated objects and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
Unlike COVID-19, the HMPV has been here around for decades, and with previous infections, people have reached some level of immunity. COVID-19, on the other hand, was a virus that affected humans never before, which led to its rapid spread. The Union Health Secretary of India, Ms. Punya Salila Srivastava, recently updated the present situation of respiratory illnesses in India the status of the HMPV cases in India and the public health measures for their management. She also assured that there is no need for concern and the country is well-equipped to handle it.
The survival of COVID-19 strengthened the immunity globally as a response to it and has shaped vigilance. States are advised to spread awareness about ways to prevent transmission and educate the public on simple measures like washing hands with soap, avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth, maintaining distance from people with symptoms, and covering the mouth and nose with coughing or sneezing. Describing it as a seasonal illness common in winter and summer, the Union Health Ministry issued a notification advising citizens to take precautions. Those experiencing symptoms like fever, cough, or sneezing should avoid public places,” the ministry stated.
The Mizoram government has formed a committee to understand the situation of HMPV and the committee was chaired by Health Minister Lalrinpuii. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) of the state is also carefully analysing the spread of the virus, and it has been working parallelly with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The IDSP also held the same stand that the virus is not new but seen worldwide before. Experts of the IDSP said that the virus survives up to 6 hours and cannot survive in temperatures around 4 degrees.
CONCLUSION
The impact of the virus on the human body is mild, causing common respiratory symptoms. But, as per the study by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus can have a fatal impact on individuals with weak immunity and serious medical conditions. However, the Indian health authorities have emphasised the fact that there is no need for immediate cause of alarm, but the public is directed to remain vigilant by following basic hygiene practices. From the learned lessons of COVID, every country is equipped to manage the current situation.
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