“The patient is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital and he does not have any travel history abroad”, a statement issued by the AMC said.  The statement added that the patient was first admitted to the hospital on Wednesday and his samples tested positive for HMPV on Thursday.  “The man has been suffering from asthma for some time and his condition is stable at present,” the AMC said.

 In an official communication issued on Wednesday, the union health ministry had stated that HMPV is one of the many respiratory viruses that can cause infections in people of all ages, particularly during the winter and early spring months. “The virus infection is usually mild and self-limiting and most people recover on their own,” it added.

 This case in Gujarat also marks the second such case to be detected in the state this year. The state’s first HMPV case was reported on January 6, when a two month old boy was found infected with the illness. He has since been discharged.