Ahmedabad: Gujarat has reported its fourth case of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) as a nine-month-old baby tested positive for the viral infection in Ahmedabad, local officials confirmed on Saturday. The baby, who was admitted to a private hospital on January 6 with symptoms of cold, cough, and breathing difficulty, marks the latest addition to a growing number of cases in the state, all of which have emerged in less than a week.
According to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the baby has no history of foreign travel or contact with infected individuals. This new case follows the confirmation of an eight-year-old boy from Sabarkantha district, who tested positive for HMPV on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in Gujarat to four.
Earlier, on January 4, an 80-year-old man from Ahmedabad, who has a history of asthma, was also diagnosed with the infection. The elderly patient is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Gujarat’s first reported case of HMPV occurred on January 6, when a two-month-old boy from Rajasthan was found to be infected. The infant, who exhibited symptoms of fever, nasal congestion, and cough, was treated at a hospital and later discharged.
HMPV is known to cause symptoms similar to the common cold, including fever, nasal congestion, cough, and difficulty breathing, and is particularly concerning for infants, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
