Dungarpur: A two-month-old infant from Richha village in Sabla area of Dungarpur district has tested positive for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).
As the infant suffered from cold and cough, his parents took him to a hospital at Modasa in Gujarat. As the infant's condition did not improve, his parents them took him to Orange Hospital in Ahmedabad on December 24. The baby's sample was tested on September 26 and it turned out to be HMPV positive. The infant is being treated at the hospital for the last 12 days.
Orange Hospital's consultant neonatologist and pediatrician intensivist Dr Nirav Patel said when the baby was brought to the hospital, he was suffering from cold and cough. The child was kept on ventilator support for five days after he had difficulty in breathing and now is completely healthy. As the baby was born prematurely, he was also given a injection in his lungs, Dr Patel said.
The doctor said there is no need to panic but advised people to wear masks and wash hands frequently. Dungarpur CMHO Dr Alankar Gupta said the baby's family is at the hospital in Ahmedabad. Dr Gupta said the baby is fine but a health team has been sent to Richha conduct a survey in the village.
In view of reports about rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks, 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.
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.
According to a media statement issued by the ministry, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Disaster Management (DM) Cell, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) Division, and hospitals, including AIIMS, Delhi participated in the meeting.