HMPV is nothing to panic about, says former WHO chief scientist
India TodayDr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist at the World Health Organisation, has said that HMPV is nothing to panic about. Dr Swaminathan quoted data from the Indian Council of Medical Research - India's official medical panel - that HMPV is one of the many circulating pathogens along with influenza A and B which cause common cold, SARS-CoV-2 which causes Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus. "According to Indian Council of Medical Research, #HMPV accounts for about 3% of respiratory pathogens detected in the laboratory network, testing ILI and SARI cases. Furthermore, based on current data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme network, there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness cases in the country," the ICMR said. Union Health Minister JP Nadda revealed that data from ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program shows no unusual surge in respiratory virus cases in India.