ICMR to Enhance HMPV Testing Labs & Monitor Year-Round Trends: Union Health Ministry

The Union Health Ministry has said that it is keeping a close watch over the spread of the HMP virus in China during the past few weeks. The Ministry said the number of laboratories testing for HMPV will be enhanced by ICMR and assured it will monitor trends of HMPV for the entire year.

The Ministry convened a Joint Monitoring Group meeting under the chairmanship of the Director General of Health Services in New Delhi over the recent development. Dr. Atul Goel, Director-General of Health Services, reassured the public that there is nothing to be alarmed about in the present situation, urging people to take



general precautions.

The Joint Monitoring Group observed that these viruses are already in circulation globally, including in India. It said a robust surveillance system for Influenza Like Illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness for Influenza is already in place in India through both ICMR and IDSP networks, and the data from both indicates no unusual surge in such cases. It noted that the ICMR network also tests for other respiratory viruses such as adenovirus, RSV, and HMPV, and these pathogens do not show any unusual increase in the tested samples.