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Amid rising concerns over an outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, India is monitoring the situation and is also in touch with international agencies.
Dr Atul Goyal, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), suggested taking general precautions, while noting that there is nothing to be alarmed.
"Take general precautions. Use handkerchief or towel for coughing and sneezing and take normal medicines that are required for cold or fever. Otherwise there is nothing to be alarmed about the present situation," he added.
Meanwhile, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which falls under the Union Health Ministry, is closely monitoring respiratory infections and seasonal influenza cases.
"We will continue to monitor the situation closely, validate information and update accordingly," news agency ANI quoted official sources as saying.
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), belonging to the Pneumoviridae, Metapneumovirus genus, is an enveloped single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).
China CDC says that the incubation period after infection is about three to five days, and the immune protection induced by HMPV is too weak to curb repeated infection.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) can cause upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages.
— Symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.
— It most likely spreads from an infected person to others through secretions from coughing and sneezing, and close personal contact such as touching or shaking hands.
— Patients can help prevent the spread by washing hands often with soap; avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands, and close contact with people who are sick.
Stating that the Human Metapneumovirus outbreak in China highlights the need for heightened surveillance and early detection mechanisms to curb its spread, Dr Arjun Dang, CEO of Dangs Lab, told ANI that HMPV, a relatively under-recognised pathogen, has been a silent contributor to seasonal respiratory illnesses globally.
Last week, China's diseases control authority said it was piloting a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin, with cases of some respiratory diseases expected to rise through the winter.
Recent cases detected include pathogens such as the rhinovirus and human metapneumovirus, with cases of the human metapneumovirus among people under the age of 14 showing an upward trend, especially in northern provinces.
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