Mizoram forms core committee to tackle HMPV cases amid rising concerns
The Health Minister also formed a Rapid Response Team at the state level to track developments in all districts.;
Health Minister Lalrinpuii chairs a meeting with health department officials in Aizawl on Tuesday. (AT Photo)
Aizawl, Jan 7: Mizoram has taken swift action in response to the detection of three cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in India, as reported on Monday.
On Tuesday, a core committee was established to review the situation and monitor the virus' spread, following a meeting chaired by Health Minister Lalrinpuii.
The Health Minister also directed the formation of a Rapid Response Team at the state level to track developments in all districts of Mizoram.
This move comes after concerns raised by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), which issued a public notice informing citizens that while HMPV is a respiratory disease that has appeared globally in previous years, there have been no recent reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in the state.
The IDSP reassured the public that there was no cause for panic, as the health department and surveillance network are vigilantly monitoring the situation.
Hospitals, both government and private, have been ordered to submit daily reports on any ILI and Severe SARI cases to aid in ongoing surveillance.
In addition, the state's Pneumonia Control Programme and SAANS campaign are being implemented across Mizoram to curb respiratory infections.
The health department has urged the public and health officials to cooperate fully for the successful execution of these initiatives. Citizens have been advised to report any suspected ILI or SARI cases to the nearest health facilities or wellness centres.
Earlier in the day, India reported two cases of HMPV in Karnataka and Gujarat, involving a 3-month-old girl and an 8-month-old boy in Bengaluru, as well as a 2-month-old boy in Ahmedabad. The cases have raised concerns about the potential spread of the respiratory virus.
Notably, neither of the Indian patients had a history of international travel, indicating that the infections were locally acquired.
Despite the virus' widespread presence in China, the World Health Organization has not yet classified the situation as a global health emergency, though respiratory infections, including HMPV, continue to rise worldwide.
