A 75-year-old woman is being treated in Medicine Unit 2 of a private hospital in Guwahati for the first case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV). She is recovering steadily without requiring additional respiratory support.
Her 80-year-old husband also presents with similar symptoms and is kept on intermittent oxygen support pending the result of viral marker tests. The case was earlier reported in a 10-month infant from Lakhimpur who was successfully treated at Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh.
The Gauhati Medical College Hospital Superintendent, Dr. Abhijit Sarma, said: “HMPV primarily triggers flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and runny nose, along with respiratory infections, and the worst affected were those children who had crossed five years of age.
Albeit it is relatively non-threatening than COVID-19, Dr. Sarma said that people must take precautions such as wearing masks, avoiding crowded places, and getting medical attention if symptoms occur. This should be done primarily for the elderly and children, he said.
