An 80-year-old man tested positive for human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat on Thursday, officials said. The patient is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital and he does not have any travel history abroad,

The Gujarat government issued an advisory asking people to cover their face while sneezing, avoid going to crowded places, keep distance from flu-infected persons, get adequate sleep and drink water as much as possible and contact a doctor for any respiratory issues.

India recently. As cases of the virus surged in China, concerns spread in India, with some drawing comparisons to the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. In response, Union Health Minister JP Nadda reassured the public,

The panic over HMPV began when videos of hospitals in China started making rounds on social media, clearly intending to fuel panic among civilians. But the Human Metapneumovirus outbreak in China still instilled a tad bit of panic among Indians as at least seven cases have been reported till now.

Five years on from the first news of COVID, recent reports of an obscure respiratory virus in China may understandably raise concerns.