HMPV virus outbreak: India asks WHO to share timely updates on the situation in China

As per the Indian Health Ministry, a Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting was held under the Chairmanship of DGHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was held in New Delhi on Saturday.

Experts from the World Health organization (WHO), the Disaster Management (DM) Cell, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) Division, and hospitals, including AIIMS, Delhi participated in the meeting.

The Health Ministry said the situation in China is not 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," the Ministry said in the statement.

"The government is keeping a close watch over the situation through all available channels and WHO has also been requested to share timely updates regarding the situation in China," the statement said.

The Ministry said these viruses are already in circulation globally including India.

"A robust surveillance system for Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) for Influenza is already in place in India through both ICMR and IDSP networks and the data from both indicates no unusual surge in ILI & SARI cases," the Ministry said sharing details on the steps it has taken following spike in cases in China.

Is there a spike in cases in India?

The Indian Health Ministry assured that physicians from hospitals also confirmed that there is no surge in respiratory illness cases in the last few weeks other than the expected seasonal variation.

The spread of the new respiratory disease in China has raised fears of another COVID-like situation worldwide.

On Tuesday, China insisted that it had shared information on COVID-19 "without holding anything back" after the World Health Organisation (WHO) implored China to offer more data and access to understand the disease's origins.