Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday said the state was closely monitoring the recent reports of an outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China.

The minister said there is no ground for panic, but advised masks for pregnant women and people with serious diseases. “Respiratory diseases especially in children and the elderly are being closely monitored. That apart, people coming from other countries, including China, will also be monitored if they develop respiratory symptoms. However, the present situation does not demand any restrictions for expatriates,” she said.

The minister said children should not be sent to school when they are sick. “Those with respiratory symptoms should use masks. There is no reason to panic. We are monitoring the situation in China,” she said.

The minister said the situation should be closely watched considering the fact that a large number of Keralites are living across the world and non-resident Keralites come to the state from across the globe, including China, said the minister.

It may be recalled that the first Covid-19 case in the country was reported in Kerala after the outbreak in Wuhan in China in early 2020. The first coronavirus case was detected in a medical student who returned from Wuhan.

The minister said that although the Human Metapneumovirus was detected only in 2001, it is believed that this virus has spread across the world, including Kerala, especially among children, for more than 50 years.

“Infections with HMPV and pneumonia have been reported in children in Kerala too in the past. Labs in Kerala mainly Institute of Advanced Virology, National Institute of Virology and State Public Health Lab have systems to detect this virus. If there has been no significant genetic change in the virus, HMPV is unlikely to create a panic situation,’’ said the minister.

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