BHUBANESWAR : As Odisha gears up to host Indian diaspora from around 70 countries as part of the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations beginning Wednesday, the state government on Tuesday said no cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) have been detected in the state.
Amid the reports of a surge in HMPV cases in China, around eight new cases have been detected in Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu in the last couple of days.
Health and Family Welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling said Odisha is not among the states where HMPV has been detected so far. There is no need to panic as the state government is fully prepared to tackle any emergency, he added.
HMPV, a respiratory virus known to cause cold and flu-like symptoms, has been in circulation for more than two decades. Though it affects all age groups, it can cause severe infection in children, elderly, people with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) or asthma and in immunocompromised individuals like those on chemotherapy or transplant recipients.
Earlier on the day, the health minister held a discussion with the authorities of medical colleges and hospitals through video-conferencing and directed them to remain on alert. Premier national healthcare institutions including AIIMS, Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) and Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) have also been asked to remain prepared.
“All hospitals in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack including the private ones have been directed to remain prepared to provide necessary healthcare services to the guests visiting the state during the global event, when needed,” Mahaling said and advised people with cold-like symptoms to undergo testing and treatment.
Director of public health Dr Nilakantha Mishra said the detected patients do not have any foreign travel history. “It implies that the virus was there in our country. First detected in the Netherlands in 2001, the virus was found in different parts of India in the past,” he said.
Even as the government allays fear, health experts advised that people with symptoms should avoid congregations to help prevent further spread of infections. They emphasised the need for vigilance as thousands of delegates from different countries are expected to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations.
Senior internal medicine specialist Dr Niroj Mishra said precautions should be taken to prevent any flu-like illnesses. “The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has already advised people to remain cautious and isolated, if they develop any severe flu-like symptoms. Symptomatic people must maintain personal hygiene, practice hand washing and avoid large gatherings,” he added.