A nine-month-old child has tested positive for human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Ahmedabad, the officials said. The infant marks the fourth HMPV-positive case in Gujarat with all cases have been reported in less than a week.
According to the information, the baby boy was admitted to a private hospital in the city on January 6. He suffered a cold, cough and difficulty in breathing. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation said that he has no history of foreign or other travel.
Earlier cases of HMPV
Earlier on Friday, an eight-year-old boy was confirmed to be infected with HMPV in Sabarkantha district, making him the third case in the state. Two days back, an 80-year-old man tested positive for the viral infection in Ahmedabad. The elderly has been suffering from asthma and is currently being treated at a private hospital. He too had not travelled abroad, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officials confirmed.
It must be noted that the first case of HMPV was recorded in Gujarat on January 6, when a two-month-old boy from Rajasthan was found positive for the viral disease, which has symptoms like fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, and cough. He was discharged after being treated at a hospital here.
What is HMPV?
Discovered in 2001, HMPV belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family of viruses. It is closely related to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus and spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing as well as by touching contaminated surfaces or coming into direct contact with infected individuals.
(With inputs from agencies)
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