China HMPV outbreak: Kerala, Telangana closely monitoring situation amid reports of massive flu surge

NEW DELHI: Kerala and Telangana on Saturday said that they were closely monitoring the situation amid reports of a surge in flu cases in China. The health departments said that there was no cause for alarm so far and advised people to exercise caution and wear masks.

"We are monitoring the situation in China. If an outbreak is detected that has the potential to spread to other areas, we can check its spread very quickly," Kerala health minister Veena George said.

Further, she advised people, particularly pregnant women, children, and the elderly, to remain extra vigilant and urged them to wear masks.

Telangana's director of public health, B Ravinder Nayak, said that no cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) have been reported in the state so far.

After analyzing data on respiratory infections, the health department found no significant increase in cases in December 2024 compared to the same month last year.

It assured citizens that there was no need for alarm regarding HMPV and emphasized that they are closely coordinating with the Ministry of Health at the Centre. The department also urged the public to follow recommended dos and don'ts.

This comes a day after the Centre reiterated similar stance and said that there were no cause for alarm regarding the reports of HMPV outbreak in China. Further, China had attributed the flu outbreak to a routine seasonal surge during winter.