The Union Health Ministry on Monday informed that two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported from Karnataka.

Both the cases detected were in infants and they don’t have any history of international travel.

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In a statement, the Health Ministry said, “There have been media reports of some HMPV cases detected in Karnataka. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected two cases of HMPV in Karnataka. ”

Both cases were identified through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, as part of ICMR’s ongoing efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country, it said.

Emphasising that HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries, the Health Ministry said, “Based on current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network, there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in the country.”

Giving details of the patients, the Health Ministry said a three-month-old female infant was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru with a history of bronchopneumonia. She was discharged.

An eight-month-old male infant, who tested positive for HMPV on January 3 after being admitted to Baptist Hospital, Bengaluru, with a history of bronchopneumonia. The infant is now recovering, it said.

The Health Ministry said neither of the affected patients have any history of international travel.

“We are monitoring the situation through all available surveillance channels. ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year. The World Health Organization (WHO) is already providing timely updates regarding the situation in China to further inform ongoing measures,” it said.

The Health Ministry said the recent preparedness drill conducted across the country has shown that India is well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses and public health interventions can be deployed promptly if needed.