Lucknow: A 60-year-old woman has been detected with Human Metapneumovirus (HMV) infection and admitted to a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow district, doctors said on Thursday.
The woman, a resident of Cantt Assembly constituency, is presently undergoing treatment at Balrampur Hospital. She was initially taken to King George Medical University (KGMU) on Wednesday and after primary treatment, was referred to Balrampur Hospital.
Director of Balrampur Hospital Dr Sushil Prakash said the woman was tested positive for HMPV and is being treated.
Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, KGMU, Dr Suryakant, urged people not to be afraid of this virus but be vigilant. He said that children under 14 years, the elderly, pregnant and those with comorbidities are at higher risk of infection.
HMPV is a common respiratory virus, which was first detected in 2001 in Netherlands. Some of its symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion and breathing problems. In serious cases, it can cause bronchitis or pneumonia, he said.
Dr Suryakant also said that there is no vaccine or anti-viral drug for HMPV. Infected individuals are usually treated with common medicines for cold and patients recover within two to five days.
Since January 7, there have been around seven HMPV cases in the country. The cases were detected in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Gujarat.
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