Mumbai has reported its first case of HMPV, taking the total number in India to eight. While the Centre has urged citizens not to panic, rumours are abuzz. How can we protect ourselves in case of an infection?

Seven people have so far been diagnosed in India with Human Metapneumovirus, which reportedly had an outbreak in China, media reports said.

Detection of five positive cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in India raised alarms among Indians of another Covid-19-like outbreak as China is dealing with another respiratory virus, exactly five years after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

India detected 5 cases of HMPV on Monday itself. Two of the five cases were detected in Karnataka by the ICMR through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens. Two more cases were later detected in Chennai.