Indian officials have confirmed the vast nation’s first cases of human metapneumovirus, often called HMPV, with seven people said to have contracted the virus as of Tuesday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Two of the HMPV infections were reported in the central Indian city of Nagpur on Tuesday, while two cases were reported in cities of Bengaluru, and one each in Ahmedabad, Chennai and Salem on Monday. The cases include a three-month-old girl who tested positive for HMPV on Monday. Another case involved an eight-month-old boy who tested positive for both HMPV and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
HMPV can cause upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are the most at risk for serious illness from the virus. According to the CDC, symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.