Puducherry reports first case of HMPV; child fully recovers and discharged

Puducherry: A three-year-old child who had been undergoing treatment for Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a private hospital for the past few days was discharged on Saturday.

Director of Health for Puducherry, V Ravichandran, told PTI, "The child has fully recovered from the disease and was discharged on Saturday. The parents were given necessary instructions on the care and precautionary measures they should take for the child’s health at home." He mentioned that this was the first case of HMPV in Puducherry.

Ravichandran added that the centrally administered JIPMER was testing all HMPV cases according to the standard protocol and was equipped with the necessary testing kits.

He further stated that the Puducherry government was taking steps to conduct testing at the state-run Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in nearby Kadirkamam.

"The territorial government is keeping a constant vigil on the situation, and necessary precautionary steps are being taken," he said.

Meanwhile, a release from the Health Department said there was no need for panic, and elaborate precautionary measures have been put in place.

A 10-bed ward with an ICU has been established at the Government Hospital for chest diseases in Gorimedu near Puducherry, for adults and elderly patients.

The release mentioned that a six-bed ward with ICU facilities has been set up at the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children’s Hospital for the admission of pediatric cases. The department is also disseminating health awareness messages to the public regarding the disease.