Children and elderly with cold and cough must stay at home to prevent the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory illness currently seeing an uptick in the country, said former AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, on Tuesday. Speaking to IANS, Guleria, Chairman, Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Medanta Gurugram, said that prevention is most important.
“If the child has fever, cold, and cough, the child should stay at home for at least 5 to 7 days, so that the child does not give the infection to others in the school," he said. He also recommended schools issue advisory to parents to not send such children to school, which can then also spread to the elderly. So far, seven cases of HMPV -- Karnataka (2),Gujarat (1), and Tamil Nadu (2) have been reported. All the cases were detected in young children ranging from 3 months old to 13 years old. HMPV Outbreak: What to Know About the Virus Spread in China. Guleria urged for following public health measures like regular handwashing and, the use of masks, which can protect from other respiratory illnesses like flu. "I think the lessons we learned from, Covid are something that everyone should follow, especially during this time, because this will protect you not only from the HMPV but even from Covid or other influenza-related viruses.
