Understanding the general details about the HMPV virus, its causes, mode of spread, and the efforts being taken to curtail the scourge in India, is of utmost importance.
Symptoms of HMPV
The signs of HMPV are flu-like and compared with the cold, which signifies that it is on the public health radar. These may include:
- Nasal congestion
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Low-grade fever
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Fatigue
As recommended by the best medicine hospital in Delhi under certain instances, this HMPV leads to severe conditions such as pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and even respiratory distress in young children, particularly infants. People with diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, kala-azar, tuberculosis, lung and liver issues, and asthma or COPD are also vulnerable to worsened conditions.
Transmission and Prevention of HMPV Virus
HMPV is a respiratory illness that is transmitted through droplets through the air for example, when an individual is coughing or sneezing. It can also be contracted through contact with infected people, surfaces, and contact with different objects. Since HMPV is easily transmissible, it is important to adopt simple health precautions to reduce the chances of contracting the virus. These precautions include:
- Always wash hands with soap and water, particularly when touching items in public places.
- Frequently use hand sanitizers readily available in the market when there is water scarcity or shortage.
- Try to stay away from people who show signs of flu such as sneezing or coughing.
- Using tissue to sanitize mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
- Sanitize hard and soft contacts regularly and use cleaning fluids on high-contact surfaces frequently.
The HMPV outbreak in India has been felt in different areas of the country. The virus has been on the increase with patients experiencing respiratory problems or fever among other ailments. The increase in cases is due to population density, pollution, and lack of personal immunity because of the coronavirus.
Corresponding to contain the spread of the virus the Indian government has released several advisories and guidelines. These are; putting across the message on HMPV to the general public, establishing isolation centers in hospitals, and ensuring adequate supply of necessities such as ventilators and PPE for the healthcare providers.
In addition, several healthcare centers and research facilities worldwide are involved in the efforts to produce vaccines and antiviral drugs to cure HMPV. For the time being, what is considered vital is that health care should be provided with enough resources and amenities to treat as many infected people as possible and to stop the virus from spreading further.
The recent strain of the HMPV virus in India is making healthcare providers function at their full pace. Although the symptoms of the virus are mild in most people, the virus is fatal in the following groups of people such as infants and children below the age of 5 years; For any disease to be controlled, people should embrace more preventive measures in addition to good hygiene. Hence for preventing and controlling this type of outbreak, further research is the need of the hour alongside adequate support from the government and healthcare organizations of India in order to safeguard such threatened population groups. To gather more information on the rise of the HMPV virus in India book an appointment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital today.
