India’s first few cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were confirmed in Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, involving at least seven children. The Union Health Ministry reassures that the virus, first identified in 2001, is not new and infections are manageable. Authorities have issued preventive guidelines and continue to monitor trends through national surveillance systems. Public health officials emphasise there is no reason to panic as infections are typically self-limiting and treatable with symptomatic care.
