PMC prepared to handle HMPV cases
PMC on Saturday said the health department is fully prepared to manage Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases if they are reported in the city
PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Saturday said the health department is fully prepared to manage Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases if they are reported in the city. The civic body has also urged that citizens should not panic and that high-risk patients should take precautions.
PMC has collected information from 76 private hospitals and 10 government hospitals about their preparedness, availability of beds, oxygenated beds and ICU beds amongst others, said officials.
The civil surgeon of the Pune district has kept a 100-bed field hospital ready. Besides, the Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) has also reserved 20 beds in pediatric and medicine wards for HMPV patients.
Dr Vaishali Jadhav, assistant health officer of PMC, said, currently there are as many as 3,737 beds in the city and 2,612 functional beds that can be utilized in case of an emergency. “Also, there are 25 medical oxygen plants that can be utilized while treating serious patients. However, citizens should not panic, and we have already started IEC activities regarding HMPV across the city. Samples of suspected SARI and ILI patients will be sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing,” she said.
As per officials Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) through Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) tested approximately 9,500 samples for HMPV in the previous year (January to December 2024). The HMPV positivity rate was around 3%. All patients exhibited mild illness and recovered fully. Besides, HMPV sequencing is regularly conducted at ICMR-NIV, Pune. As per the available data, the virus has remained genetically stable so far.
Dr Nipun Vinayak, secretary, public health department, on Friday, issued an order to all district collectors, informing three institutes—National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai and AIMS, Nagpur will test samples for HMPV infection. Besides, patients suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases that test negative for common viral pathogens like Seasonal Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) will be tested for HMPV by VRDL, and sequencing of positive samples will be conducted.
Dr Ameet Dravid, an infectious disease expert at Noble Hospitals and Research Centre, stated that HMPV is not a new virus and is unlikely to cause significant problems or overwhelm hospitals.
He explained, “The infection is typically seen as a viral illness in children. We must take precautions for our children, especially those born prematurely who may be at higher risk, as well as for the elderly population and transplant recipients who are immunocompromised.”
Dr Dravid further added, “HMPV tends to peak in late winter, specifically in February and March. Therefore, we should closely monitor the situation over the next two months. Currently, there is no treatment or vaccine available. However, common cough and cold remedies for typical patients should be sufficient. Only those with serious illnesses will require antiviral medications, which can be administered in hospitals.”
The infection spreads through close contact with an infected person (coughing, sneezing, handshakes, etc.) or contaminated surfaces. Symptoms include coughing, runny nose, fever, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Besides, preventive measures include handwashing, following cough etiquette, cleaning contaminated surfaces, and avoiding contact with infected individuals.