Give timely information on outbreaks in China, India tells WHO

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India has increased its vigilance following reports of rising respiratory illnesses in China. The health ministry held a high-level meeting to assess the situation, emphasizing preparedness. Experts indicated that the surge is due to common flu viruses, including HMPV. The Indian government is monitoring the situation closely, ensuring hospitals are ready to handle any increase in cases.

NEW DELHI: India has upped its vigil a notch following reports of rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China even as it has asked World Health Organization to share timely updates regarding the situation in China.

According to the health ministry, a meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group was held under the chairmanship of the DG of health services Saturday to deliberate on the current situation in the neighbouring country and the need for preparedness in India. Experts from WHO, Disaster Management cell, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, National Centre for Disease Control, Indian Council of Medical Research, and hospitals, including AIIMS, Delhi participated in the meeting. The experts agreed that the current increase in respiratory illnesses wasn’t unusual in view of the ongoing flu season.

The reports also suggest that the cause of the present surge is influenza virus, RSV and HMPV – the usual pathogens that are expected during the season, health ministry said and added that these viruses are already in circulation globally, including India.

“Govt is keeping a watch over the situation through all available channels and WHO has also been requested to share timely updates regarding the situation in China,” the health ministry added.

Recently, videos of hospitals in China struggling to manage patients made rounds on social media with some claiming that the crisis was caused by a sudden outbreak of infection caused by the Human Metapneumovirus or HMPV.

“There is news doing the rounds about a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China which is serious. HMPV is a normal respiratory virus which causes symptoms like cold. Some people can get flu-like symptoms, especially the elderly people and infants. But this is not something serious or worrisome,” Dr Atul Goel, the director general of health services, said on Friday.

He added that during winters respiratory infection tends to increase. “Our hospitals are prepared to deal with such an increase. We have sufficient beds and oxygen supplies,” Dr Goel said, adding further that so far there is no substantial increase in cases of respiratory infection in the country.

Like Covid-19 and other respiratory viruses, HMPV also spreads through droplets or aerosols produced by coughing, sneezing and close contact with infected people. Fever, breathlessness, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat and headache are common symptoms, but doctors say, some patients can get bronchitis and pneumonia due to the infection. There is no vaccine or effective medication against HMPV, and treatment is mostly aimed to manage the symptoms.