Virus scare: HMPV dates back to the 1950s, to compare it with Covid-19 not right, says AIIMS Delhi professor

HMPV should not be compared with Covid-19 because the origins of Covid-19 were not known until it emerged in 2019, according to AIIMS Delhi Additional Professor for Internal Medicine Dr Neeraj Nischal.

Dr Nischal explained that since the origins of HMPV are rooted in the early 2000s, it would be wrong to assume and label it as a newly originated virus.

"Let's not compare this (HMPV) with Covid-19 because that was a completely new virus and none of us had immunity against it... HMPV has been described since 2001, and even based on evidence, it dates back to the late 1950s... By the age of 10, the majority of the children develop immunity against this," Dr Neeraj Nischal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.



Meanwhile, Bengaluru's surgical Oncologist Vishal Rao has stated that if you've received a flu shot and the three COVID-19 vaccine doses, you likely have built some immunity against Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).

Also read: HMPV reaches India: Is there a vaccine to combat the virus spreading across the world?

In an interview with news agency PTI, Rao clarified that unlike COVID-19, HMPV does not spread through verbal transmission or breathing. Instead, it is a “droplet-based” infection, typically spread through coughing. Therefore, he stressed on the need for precautions to prevent infection, noting that HMPV is not transmitted the same way as COVID.

“There is no vaccine available for this virus, but if you have taken a flu shot and the three vaccine doses of COVID, you already have immunity…This is not something that will spread by me talking or breathing like COVID. This is not the case with HMPV because it’s a droplet infection... because of cough. You will need to take precautions,” said Rao, a surgical oncologist at Bengaluru’s HCG Hospital.

To date, India has detected six cases of HMPV. One case involves a two-month-old boy in Ahmedabad who was admitted to a private hospital with the infection, while two infants in Bengaluru are currently recovering.

Three cases have been reported in Kolkata since November, 2024.

"Till date from November, three cases of HMPV virus were detected It is not an uncommon phenomena. Every winter such cases come. All cases were in mild form. We are not taking any precautionary measures about it," said Kolkata-based Peerless Hospital CEO Sudipta Mitra.

Also read: HMPV Virus Cases Live Updates: Three cases of HMPV in India; Experts downplay panic, emphasize immunity

The rise in HMPV cases in China has prompted India to closely monitor the situation. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is tracking respiratory illnesses during the ongoing winter season.

The Union Health Ministry has reassured the public that authorities are in constant communication with global health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to stay updated on the evolving situation.