An 80-year-old man tested positive for human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat on Thursday, officials said. The patient is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital and he does not have any travel history abroad,

Even as the world fixates on hMPV, a genuine pandemic threat is emerging in the form of H5N1 bird flu. The virus has jumped to cows and spread across the country through dairy herds, poultry farms and even zoos, infecting millions of animals and dozens of people, the vast majority of them farm workers.

China is experiencing a surge in infections of a respiratory virus, leading to public concerns about an outbreak. The virus, identified as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), has seen cases spiking across northern Chinese provinces this winter, particularly among children.

India TV’s claims that HMPV is a mysterious virus, or speculation that a new virus may have arisen out of China, are false.

WHO said, ‘Human metapneumovirus, hMPV is not a new virus’, adding that it generally spreads in winter and spring.

Experts have warned the public that a virus surging in China could make its way overseas as it is 'likely to spread', with Brits now warned to brace for the HMPV virus

HMPV is attracting a lot of interest because it is not a household name, but it was discovered in 2001, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in Geneva.