Covid Precautions Reinstated in India Amid Rising Cases of Mystery Illness
Covid precautions have been reinstated in a part of India amid rising alarm over the so-called “mystery illness,” Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV). The Indian state of Karnataka has issued guidance encouraging individuals to shun public settings if experiencing symptoms related to HMPV and has recommended mask-wearing in crowded locales after identifying three cases of the respiratory ailment.
The three cases include an eight-month-old boy and a three-month-old girl diagnosed in Bengaluru, and a two-month-old patient from Rajasthan currently receiving treatment in Ahmedabad. Despite the reimplementation of Covid-related mandates, Indian officials have appealed for calm, pointing out that HMPV is an established virus, with cases already reported both domestically and around the world.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda has weighed in on the situation, insisting that there’s no cause for widespread concern regarding the trio of HMPV incidents, clarifying that HMPV spreads through the air, by way of respiration, and can affect persons of all age groups, particularly during the winter and early spring months. He also noted that the government is closely monitoring the outbreak in China, which has been hit by a wave of HMPV, causing symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.
HMPV, identified in 2001, belongs to the same family as measles and mumps, and can cause similar symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, and dizziness. It can also result in bronchitis and pneumonia. The virus can be transmitted through sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact with an infected individual.
