Will There Be Another Lockdown In India As HMPV Cases Detected In Country After China?

Lockdown In India?: Amid the detection of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in India, people are worried whether there will be another lockdown in the country.

Lockdown In India Due To HMPV? Some Chinese cities are facing another COVID-19-like situation with the outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus infection. Now, some kids have been found infected with the virus in Gujarat and Karnataka. According to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, a child has been detected with a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection at a private hospital in the city. Also, the Indian Council of Medical Research has identified two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Karnataka as part of routine monitoring for various respiratory viruses, the Union health ministry announced on Monday.

The first case involved a three-month-old female infant with a history of bronchopneumonia, who was diagnosed with HMPV after being treated at Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. She has since been discharged, the ministry reported. The second case was an eight-month-old male infant, also with a history of bronchopneumonia, who tested positive for HMPV on January 3 following admission to the same hospital. He is currently recovering, the statement added.

Will There Be Another Lockdown?

Now, with the infections already being reported from two states, the concern is growing across the country. People are also worried about whether the spread will lead to another lockdown in India. As of now, the government has maintained that there is no need to panic as the cases in India are not linked to China. The government has already activated its health agency to monitor the situation and take steps to aware the public.

However, since the cases are infecting kids, and if there happens a largescale outbreak, the schools in the affected region may opt to go online to help kids maintain social distancing. As of now, many schools have gone either on holiday or on online mode due to biting cold in the northern belt. However, there is no official announcement for online classes due to the HMPV cases.

India witnessed a lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21 and since then, situation has returned to normal. In the case of HMPV, the country is now better prepared and the chances of lockdown like situation is very minimal. 

Delhi Govt Alerts Hospitals

The Delhi government on Monday issued instructions to all hospitals in the capital to be fully prepared to handle a potential rise in respiratory illnesses following the detection of two Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in Karnataka. In a directive labeled "Most Urgent," Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj directed the health and family welfare department to closely monitor the situation and maintain regular communication with the Union health ministry for timely updates. "Hospitals under the Delhi government must be fully equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses, as advised by the Union health ministry," the directive issued by Bharadwaj said.

Kejriwal Urges Modi Govt To Act

Arvind Kejriwal expressed concern on Monday over the detection of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases and urged the central government to take prompt action to avert a potential health crisis. His statement followed confirmation from the Union health ministry that the Indian Council of Medical Research had identified two cases of HMPV in Karnataka during routine surveillance for respiratory viral pathogens. "The outbreak of the HMPV virus calls for immediate attention from the Centre. Drawing from our experience with COVID, it’s crucial to contain such cases early and be prepared to tackle what could potentially become another health emergency," said Kejriwal on X.

The outbreak of the HMPV virus calls for immediate attention from the Centre. Drawing from our experience with COVID, it’s crucial to contain such cases early and be prepared to tackle what could potentially become another health emergency. https://t.co/BbFdyJ6ko6 — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 6, 2025

No Need To Panic: Karnataka Govt

Karnataka government on Monday assured that there was no cause for alarm over the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) as it is already present in the country. "I don't think we should be pressing the panic button, because HMPV is not a new virus, it already exists. Reports suggest that it is the first case of HMPV in India, it is not true because HMPV is an existing virus, and a certain percentage of people do get affected by this virus and it is not something new," state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said.