Pune:
Maharashtra has reported its first case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) this year, with a seven-month-old boy in Washim testing positive for the infection. This is likely to be the first confirmed case in the state, health officials said.
Initially, the boy was suspected to be infected with an influenza-like illness (ILI) but later, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests confirmed HMPV on March 30, 2026. He was subsequently admitted to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur, and was recently discharged after being successfully treated for the infection; said Dr Raju Sule, state surveillance officer, public health department, Maharashtra.
Dr Sule said that this is likely to be the first case of HMPV in the state as only a few sporadic suspected cases have been reported in the past. “However, citizens should not panic as the disease is mild in nature and there is no outbreak in the state,” he said.
HMPV is a respiratory virus and was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001. It belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family, which also includes other significant respiratory pathogens such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza virus. In India, the virus was first detected in 2003. HMPV primarily affects the respiratory tract and is known to lead to a wide range of illnesses, from mild, cold-like symptoms to severe respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis. While HMPV can infect individuals from all age groups, it poses the greatest risk to young children, older adults, and those with weak immune systems, said officials.
No sooner the first case of HMPV was detected in Washim, the health department immediately identified the close contacts of the concerned patient. Samples of five family members were taken and sent to the laboratory. All samples have tested negative for HMPV indicating no immediate spread within the household, said Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director of health services.
Dr Sangale said that there is nothing to panic as the symptoms are similar to common cold. The government through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network monitors such cases and there has been no unusual surge in ILI or severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) cases in the state. “We are closely monitoring cases in this area,” he said.
